Expansion plans could boost vehicle recycling at Hampshire site

Silverlake Automotive Recycling, based on Botley Road in Shedfield, applied to expand its site to increase the number of vehicles it processes and create specialist facilities for dismantling and recycling modern vehicles, including electric and hybrid models.

The owner, Allen Prebble, says the expansion would help ensure end-of-life vehicles are disposed of safely while protecting the environment from hazardous materials.

Mr Prebble said: “Vehicles which have reached their end of life or have been written off in crashes have to be properly disposed of, which is vitally important for the environment so that hazardous materials don’t poison our soil and waterways.

“With the advent of the electric car, the industry faces the further challenge of safe handling and recycling of large battery packs to recover critical materials like lithium and cobalt.”

The proposal would allow the company to increase the number of vehicles it processes from 30,000 to 40,000 a year.

It would also increase the number of reusable “green parts” recovered from each vehicle from around eight to between 24 and 32.

The development would include a dismantling building, offices, a research and development facility and a specialist building for removing batteries from electric vehicles.

He said: “As more hybrid and electric vehicles come onto the road, they will eventually reach the end of their life and require specialist handling and recycling,”

“The proposed development includes facilities designed to safely process these vehicles and recover valuable materials — something that will become increasingly important as the transition to low-carbon transport continues.”

However, planning officers at Hampshire County Council have recommended the application be refused.

A report to the council’s regulatory committee said the development would cause “unacceptable visual harm” and have a “significant adverse impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding rural landscape”.

Officers added that the layout, scale, massing and design of the development, together with associated lighting and fencing, would appear as an “incongruous and intrusive feature within the countryside”.

Responding to the recommendation, Mr Prebble said the company respected the officers’ view but believed the benefits of the expansion would outweigh what he described as “perceived landscape harm”.

He said: “The benefits of the expanded facility are significant and outweigh the perceived landscape harm on an existing industrial site.

“The proposal will allow us to be even more efficient, will increase parts reuse and will significantly improve carbon benefits from the Silverlake operation.

“Allowing us to do more of what we are already doing for Hampshire, preparing the business to deliver sustainable vehicle recycling for future generations.”

Mr Prebble added that the company has operated at the site for 80 years and has an “outstanding” record of being “good neighbours”.

“We respect the views of local residents and are in constant communication with them. We have taken expert advice to ensure our landscaping will be highly effective.

“There is a real responsibility to ensure the county has a facility fit for purpose to handle end-of-life petrol, diesel and increasingly hybrid and electric vehicles.

“Investment is needed now to meet rapidly growing demand as the volume and nature of vehicles reaching the end of their life continues to change.”

The application will be considered by Hampshire County Council’s regulatory committee on Wednesday, March 18.