Hilltop Outdoor Centre in legal threat over Sheringham tip

Bosses at Hilltop Adventure Centre, at Beeston Regis, say they could seek a High Court judicial review if Norfolk County Council's plans to move and replace Sheringham Recycling Centre get the green light.

Martin and Oliver Read say their 30-acre family-run business, which hundreds of Norfolk schoolchildren enjoy each year, will be impacted by noise and traffic due to the tip - and that the county council has not followed the correct process.

An artist's visualisation of how the new Sheringham Recycling Centre could look (Image: Norfolk County Council)

The council is carrying out fresh consultation over proposals, first unveiled in 2022, to build a new tip in fields opposite the existing recycling centre in Holt Road.

Norfolk County Council, whose planning committee will make a decision on the scheme, has made amendments to the proposals.

Martin and Oliver Read at Hilltop Outdoor Centre (Image: Denise Bradley)

But the Reads say the council should not be looking to build a tip in a landscape designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - and only about 40 metres from their business.

Martin Read said the proper legal process, including full exploration and consideration of alternative sites and modelling of the impact on traffic, has not been done.

He said: "We understand the need to improve the recycling facility and we support it, but the needed improvements to solve operational problems could easily be made with an extension into the adjacent woods.

"A sensible discreet development of the present site which does not increase the intensity of the traffic significantly would be an acceptable solution."

The current Sheringham Recycling Centre (Image: Denise Bradley)

He said if the council wanted to build a bigger site, similar to Norwich North, off the Northern Distributor Road, then a site on the Stone Hill industrial site would be ideal.

But he said alternative sites had been ignored, with the council pursuing the current plans despite the land being in an AONB.

READ MORE: Norfolk recycling centre closure plans blasted by critics

He said an increase in traffic at the tip, along with a new order which would make all drivers use the east exit onto the A148, would clog up traffic, including coaches and delivery vehicles at Hilltop.

Oliver Read and his father Martin, who run Hilltop Outdoor Centre are objecting to the plans to move Sheringham Recycling Centre to a new site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Read said, if plans are approved, he could seek a judicial review - challenging the legality of the council's process through the courts.

He said: "We are having to talk to our solicitors to see whether what we have here is sufficient to try to move to a judicial review.

"That is extremely expensive and we are a small business. But the process has been wrong, so what we want to do is see if we can get some support from the public to help with that."

Mr Read's son Oliver said: "Children come here from all over the UK to find somewhere close to nature and they find that here, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Our concern is that this will take some of that away."

Hilltop Outdoor Centre (Image: Denise Bradley)

FURTHER OPPOSITION

North Norfolk District Council has also objected, with senior planning officer Mike Brands stating: "North Norfolk District Council officers have concerns the proposal would harm to the character area and AONB.

"The existing facility is relatively well screened from the wider landscape, the new facility would not be as readily assimilated into this sensitive landscape, with insufficient screening to mitigate the impact."

The field, close to Hilltop Outdoor Centre where the new Sheringham Recycling Centre would be built (Image: Denise Bradley)

Beeston Regis Parish Council has also criticised the plans, saying it will lead to traffic problems on the A148 and rat-running on Britons Lane.

READ MORE: Future for former Mayton Wood Recycling Centre unclear

WHAT THE COUNCIL SAYS

The council, in its own documents, says alternative sites were considered, but ruled out.

A Norfolk County Council spokeswoman said: "Feedback from this mini consultation, along with any previous objections or support, will be considered to see if there will be any further provision of information and as part of determination of the planning application.

"The proposed recycling centre is on land opposite the current recycling centre and part of the planning application includes the current recycling centre being returned to a ‘natural environment’.

"The application will be independently considered by the planning committee, who will take account of all correspondence received, both for and against the proposals."

READ MORE: Sheringham £3m A148 Holway Road roundabout receives government boost

The proposal does have supporters, one of who wrote to County Hall to state: "The 'increased traffic' that will appear will be no different to the flood of tourism we see every summer, and objections centred on the AONB need to see that it is a small field currently housing sheep."