A COMPANY has won an appeal to continue the recycling of building and demolition waste on a Darlington industrial estate.

Concerned residents had spoken of their fears about the noise, smells and risks associated with asbestos at the TM Ward site, on the Faverdale estate. But referring to national objectives for recycling materials, government planning inspector Alan Robinson said: "It seems to me that the development would make an important, if modest, contribution towards meeting these objectives by recycling waste from construction and demolition projects and enabling them to be put to new uses."

He said there were rarely strong smells from such waste, and special arrangements were usually made for taking asbestos in sealed bags directly to a landfill site for safe disposal.

He said a proposed landscaped mound and an internal wall, which would help minimise nuisance, should be constructed within the next three months.

Mr Robinson also imposed conditions on the hours during which deliveries, processing and use of noisy machinery could take place and a height limit on stored materials.

He ordered that a wheel cleaning facility should be installed at the entrance to the site, to protect the estate and safeguard highway safety.