An east London community is fighting plans for a concrete factory close to their homes amid complaints their air is already being blighted by dust clouds from an existing plant.
Residents fear a second proposed concrete plant on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park would have a devastating impact on air quality. They say thick dust from the Bow Goods Yard East has caused breathing problems, forcing people to keep their windows shut.
Bow East industrial site would be run by Breedon, Brett and S Walsh & Sons. They say 500 residents were consulted about the proposal ahead of a planning application submission.
The consortium joined forces after previous applications were rejected. They say a factory is vital to fuel London’s building boom, which needs 10 million tonnes of concrete a year.
Proposed operating hours are 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays, however, rail cargo loading could continue around the clock. More than 2,000 people have signed a petition opposing the scheme. Residents say the existing heavy industrial use of the site for shunting goods and making concrete is already at odds with the London Legacy Development Corporation’s promise of “creating an attractive and inspiring place to live and work”.
The site was used as a warm-up track during the 2012 Olympic Games, however, it is now designated as a “strategic industrial location”. Under the plans, raw aggregate of crushed rock and gravel will be delivered by rail but campaigners fear a spike in the number of lorries transporting the product across Britain.
Petition organiser Wayne Lloyd, 39, who lives 500ft from the site, said the site “will have a devastating impact on air quality that is already at deadly levels”.
A spokesman for the developers said: “The proposal is much smaller, cleaner and smarter and includes improvements in how material is handled, stored and transported.”
An LLDC spokeswoman said: “We will assess any impacts and ensure that people have the opportunity to comment on the proposals.”
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