A PUBLIC hearing is to take place in Pembroke Dock next month after the company running the town’s RDF waste site have appealed against alleged breaches in its environmental permit operating conditions made by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The Unit 41 site is used to process and export black bag waste in the form of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire county councils to Sweden.

NRW issued a permit to Pembrokeshire County Council for the site, which was transferred to Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Limited, prior to operations commencing. Since the facility commenced operations, in 2015, NRW has received a number of reports of odour and flies affecting the local amenity including from south Pembrokeshire Hospital.

Last August, NRW served an enforcement notice on Sundorne Products, alleging it has contravened conditions of the permit relating to odour and pests, specifically flies, and required it to take specified steps to identify and implement appropriate control measures by certain dates.

Since the dockyard site opened in 2015, many complaints have been made locally about flies and the smell, particularly during warmer weather.

Sundorne Products has appealed against the notice on several grounds, including that the notice was not justified and that there was not sufficient evidence to show the permit conditions have been contravened.

At the January meeting of Pembroke Dock Town Council, members received a report from NRW, which stated: “Towards the end of last summer we took the decision to serve a legal notice upon Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd requiring the company to bring Unit 41 into compliance with conditions set out in its permit.

“This followed extensive work by ourselves, and our employing an external expert in entomology (the study of insects) to investigate the problem of flies affecting nearby receptors including the hospital and private residences.

“As is its right under legislation, the company chose to appeal that notice, albeit we were disappointed at that decision.

“The appeal hearing is scheduled for February 16 and 17 at The Cove, Llanion.

“The notice is effectively in abeyance pending the Planning Inspector's decision on the appeal. Clearly we are hopeful the inspector will find in favour but must allow the process to take its course.

“In the meantime we continue to make our position clear to the operator and continue to regulate the facility against conditions of the permit. We also continue to liaise closely with Hywel Dda, the local authority and others on progress.”

NRW stated that any complaints should be made on 0300 065 3000, to ensure they are logged.

Clerk Sarah Scourfield told members: “They (Sundorne) feel there are no issues. It’s going to be a public hearing, I would urge people if there are any complaints to call the NRW number and keep logging the issues.”

The appeal will be determined by an independent inspector, appointed by the Planning Inspectorate Wales, following the public inquiry at The Cove.

Jon Willington, Team leader at Natural Resources Wales said: “Due to ongoing legal proceedings we are unable to disclose any further information on the case at this time.”

A Pembrokeshire County council spokeswoman said: "Pembrokeshire County Council, together with several other public sector organisations and commercial operators, is a client of Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd which operates a waste disposal site at Pembroke Port.

"We are working closely with NRW and Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd towards ensuring an amicable and speedy resolution to any problems which may have occurred at the Pembroke Port site.”