FURIOUS campaigners have slammed a retrospective planning bid to expand a recycling yard.

Nearby residents are calling on planners to reject the bid after complaining of noise from the metal recycling site at Bullington Cross, near Sutton Scotney, as well as the felling of trees and ‘occupying land that the business does not own’.

Planning applications by Bryan Hirst Ltd, which operates the site and carries out work for Hampshire’s waste and recycling centres, are seeking permission to keep a 21-space car park built in 2010 for staff and extend its operating hours.

The car park was built after planning permission was granted to demolish the former Bullington Cross Inn at the junction of the A34/A303, north of Winchester and create a recycling facility.

Peter Wieloch, a 58-year-old author who lives around 400 metres away, said: “As you might expect, the village is up in arms.

“There are so many local enterprises which are based on the peace and tranquillity of the rural area. You have fishing on the River Dever, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and yoga businesses.”

Mr Wieloch, representing more than 30 residents, added: “Rather than taking effective action to support the local community, Hampshire County Council appears to be facilitating the permanent change.”

Parish councillors have also called on HCC to reject the plans. Bullington Parish Council chairwoman Annabel Smyth-Osbourne said: “Not only has the applicant occupied land that it does not own, but in doing so it destroyed an area of mature trees that provided some of the visual and sound screening that would otherwise have mitigated the impact of the site upon local residents and businesses.

“The parish council strongly opposes all three applications and urges Hampshire County Council to reject them.”

In the parish council’s objection, it also outlined a number of breaches of existing planning for permission for the site, including waste piles more than four metres tall, working outside of allowed hours and the scrapping of motor vehicles.

Winchester MP Steve Brine MP added: “So far as many of my constituents are concerned, the recycling centre was forced on this sensitive area to allow more development in Basingstoke and we don’t much like it.

“Despite a multitude of breaches being reported, none have led to strong enforcement by the council so the people I represent living in nearby Norton are rightly concerned about the future. We will be watching this plant like a hawk.”

Mr Hirst was unavailable for comment. The public consultations over the plans end tomorrow, September 22.