LARGE lorries are set to drive past new homes as often as once every 150 seconds after a waste company was granted a “massive” increase in the number of permitted journeys it can make.

Essex County Council’s planning committee granted CSH’s application for permission to increase the number of lorry journeys to 250 a day – an increase from the currently permitted 150 per day.

It means between 7.30am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday there would be 24 lorries every hour driving to the waste site, 10 more an hour than its current allowance; or one lorry every two and half minutes as opposed to the current one lorry every four minutes.

The route takes the lorries along John Flower Avenue before they join the main road network at Fiddlers Hill where 150 homes are being built in the Eight Ash Green development.

Wormingford Parish Council in its representations said: “This application represents a dramatic overall increase in vehicle movements which in our opinion will have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the residents in Wormingford, Fordham, Fordham Heath and Eight Ash Green.”

Planning committee member councillor Susan Barker said: “I‘m just very concerned that we are selling people brand new houses and they have no concept we’re going to route all these lorries past their front door.

“I shouldn’t think the developer does either. Where does that lead us legally?”

The present CSH Environmental Ltd waste management facility was granted approval on appeal in July 2012.

Planning committee member Councillor John Jowers said:  “I really have got a problem with this because it’s such a massive increase.

“I have no problems with what it’s doing at the moment. It’s a good firm. We lost and you know you take it on the chin.”

Matthew Bradley, strategic development manager at Essex County Council, said “I’m going to steer everybody back to the national planning policy framework. The bar has been set very high for us.

“Unless we can demonstrate that there’s an unacceptable impact on highway safety or that the cumulative impact of this development is going to be severe then it’s unfortunate that you know we’re not going to be able to raise any kind of substantial objection.”