A plan to build a new industrial chemical facility next to a former knackers yard near Coalville has been refused by North West Leicestershire District Council.

Assured Solutions, based in Measham, wanted to set up the works with associated yard, loading facilities and external works, along with alterations to existing vehicular access, on land off Ashby Road in Sinope.

The original application was made more than two years ago.

But now the plan has been rejected by the District Council on the grounds that the scheme is out of place in a rural setting, and does not fit in with the National Forest surroundings.

It was also refused because the council felt the size of the building meant it could not be hidden well enough, even with landscaping.

The plans were to keep the busiest part of the site away from nearby houses and landscape the site to match the local surroundings.

In a report presented to the council, the company had said it would share the site entrance with the knackers yard warehouse FFS and use that building as part of the development.

The report added that Assured Solutions is a chemical manufacturers which is currently based in Measham across two premises, which it said was inefficient and unsustainable.

Subsequently, Assured Solutions had been looking to expand and relocate to larger dedicated premises.

But Coleorton Parish Council had already made a number of objections to the scheme.

These included: 

• The development is outside the defined Limits to Development and is therefore contrary to the adopted Local Plan. 
• The proposed development is not in keeping for its location within the National Forest, it is a rural location and there is no mitigation for green energy or wildlife. -
• Alternative sites have been explored and have been found to be available in less obtrusive places, however they are dismissed due to the travel times of existing staff. 
• The development is over dominant and out of size and scale to surrounding local properties. Given the size there will be little ability to screen it effectively. 
• The placement of windows in the building will lead to direct overlooking to bedrooms and bathrooms, reducing the level of privacy. 
• The location of the building will also cause detriment to residential amenities. 
• The traffic levels on the A511 will increase as a result of the proposal with this highway already having a high level of accidents, vehicles also travel in excess of the speed limit and the traffic surveys were undertaken at inappropriate times. 
• The position of the vehicular access will result in noise and vibration impacts to existing residents as a result of larger vehicles accessing and exiting the site. 
• A lot of direct and indirect noise from the high level of vehicle movements, including those of lorries, forklift trucks, rubbish collection etc., will arise. 
• The proposed development creates concern as to what sort of filtration/ventilation systems there will be and the effect any pollutants may have on health. 
• As proposed the working hours would not include weekend working.

As well as the council objections, 11 residents also raised issues, but there was some support for the scheme.

Objections included:

• Highway Safety
• The knackers' yard is still in use, with the nearest facility 40-50 miles away
• Light pollution
• Hazardous chemicals being used
• Vehicle movements causing added noise
• Its design is similar to those found on industrial estates.

The council's report on its refusal says: "The application proposes the development of land outside the Limits to Development and would have a significantly adverse impact on the character and appearance of the landscape by virtue of the scale, mass, positioning and industrial appearance of the development resulting in detriment to the visual amenities of the rural environment in which the development is located.

"The proposed development by virtue of its scale, mass and industrial appearance would result in a form of development which would be an incongruous addition within the streetscape and wider rural environment and which could not be appropriately screened by landscaping infrastructure given its positioning within the site. 

"On this basis the proposed development would not be responsive to its context, given that it would be out of scale and form with neighbouring built forms, and would not be inspired by its location within the National Forest. 

"Such impacts to the rural environment would also adversely affect the character and appearance of the National Forest, with the siting and scale of the development not being appropriately related to its setting within the National Forest."