Locals rally against Silverlake recycling centre expansion that would 'completely destroy setting'

Campaign group Community Against Silverlake Expansion (CASE) says hundreds of residents, county and city councillors and MPs have already objected to the proposal.

As a form of protest, the owners of Grade II listed Row Ash House, located next to the site in Shedfield, have erected a five-metre-high wooden structure representing the acoustic wall proposed by Silverlake.

The structure, built along the hedge boundary with the neighbouring field, mirrors the height of the noise barrier planned by the company, which would be “at least” five metres high.

The family say it demonstrates the potential impact the development could have on neighbouring homes.

Jenny Barker, who has lived at the property for 50 years, said the development would have a significant impact on the historic setting of the house.

“This house is a Grade II listed property. We’ve lived here for 50 years and have seen Silverlake develop from a very small outfit in the early days.

“This house has a value as a heritage property. A number of policies set out in Hampshire County Council waste planning policy and Winchester City Council planning policy guard listed properties from industrial development.

“Silverlake’s expansion would completely destroy the setting of this house. And we feel that we’ve been guardians of the property, it is part of our British heritage that needs to be preserved.”

His son, Simon Barker, said the company has proposed building an acoustic barrier of at least five metres that would be “as high as sections of the security wall between the US and Mexico”.

Mr Barker, who grow up at the listed building and is a member of CASE, said the company is planning to build one of Europe’s largest single-site car recycling factories.

He said: “They are proposing to process 40,000 vehicles a year. The whole scale would be the equivalent of more than six international football pitches.”

The proposal includes a main dismantling building and several ancillary buildings, including storage facilities for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles.

However, he said the main building alone would dominate the surrounding landscape with a footprint of more than one and a half international football pitches.

“It would be 14 and a half metres high – the equivalent of five or six storeys of a residential building.”

Mr Barker, echoing CASE members, said the proposed development is in the wrong location.

“They are looking to build one of Europe’s largest car recycling factories of its kind in a field that is entirely rural because they already own the site.

“This is just not the right place for an international scale business like this.”

Samantha Davies, who runs a nearby vineyard, said the development could affect businesses that rely on the area’s rural setting.

“If approved this will have a devastating impact on the beautiful countrywide setting and importantly my business. If planning is granted this could result in many redundancies of local people and hurt other local businesses and suppliers who depend on us.

“We are also very concerned about having an EV recycling plant with the known risks of lithium-ion batteries so close to our buildings and vines.”

She said many residents fear the development could set a precedent for further industrial activity in the area and become “the first of many”.

“This area is not set up for this. We are in a rural situation. An industrial business of this scale has to be built close to motorways and have the road infrastructure that would be able to service it – just like those car recycling factories Silverlake is modelled on.

“We are in danger of setting an industrial precedent here if this is allowed, it could be the first of many.”

She added that once development takes place, “we can’t go back”.

“This is a precious rural area, and we want to protect it. Once it’s done, it’s done, we can’t go back, and that’s our fear.”

Machen Barker, owner of the Row Ash house, shared similar concerns, and added: “If this comes here, you can’t change it. It would be there forever, and it would create a precedent around the area.”

The CASE group also fears that if the application is approved by the county council, the company may not follow the agreed plans saying it has an “established record of erecting and altering buildings without permission”

Simon added: “We can’t trust Silverlake. There is a very established record of them.

“Should this application go ahead, how could Silverlake be trusted do to exactly what they are told and follow the plans, and not build something without permission? And who is going to be checking them?”

Silverlake Automotive Recycling, founded in 1946, is one of the UK’s largest vehicle recycling companies. The company says the expansion is needed to meet growing demand for vehicle recycling and to prepare for the transition to electric vehicles.

The plans include new dismantling facilities, buildings for electric vehicle battery handling and additional operational space at the existing site.

The final decision will be made by the county council’s regulatory committee on March 18.