THE fate of a controversial scheme to collect and process farm waste on land in North Yorkshire is due to be settled by county councillors next week.

Despite objections from neighbours and councillors, planning officers are recommending conditional approval for the operation on a farm at Olivers Mount, in Moor Road, Tunstall, near Catterick.

They say it will reduce the material going to landfill sites and work towards Government recycling targets.

The applicants, M Metcalfe and Sons, who already have a registered waste carrier's licence from the Environment Agency, want to change the use of a new agricultural building to act as a centre to which waste collected from farms would be taken for sorting and baling before being sent away for recycling.

About five lorries a day would enter and leave the site, using local roads, but avoiding the nearby villages of Tunstall and Scotton.

The county council planning committee deferred a decision last month to enable members to visit the site and consider the impact of the proposal on the area, including two nearby caravan sites.

Richmondshire District Council has objected because it believes the site is too prominent and isolated for such a development and that there could be unacceptable environmental consequences through noise and the effect on one of the caravan parks.

Meanwhile, Tunstall Parish Council has voiced concern about the potential impact of noise and air pollution on the caravan parks and the implications of lorry movements.

Nine other objections have been received, including two from the caravan parks, one from a local landowner and six from houses near the site, concentrating on environmental and traffic issues.

Planning officers say in a report to the committee that there is a need for the operation because new regulations on handling agricultural waste mean farmers can no longer dispose of material in a farm tip or burn it.

The report adds: "The activity is to be undertaken on a small site, in an existing building which will be insulated, with no external storage and control of the type of material, drainage, noise, odours and litter. A low number of vehicles are involved, so the transport links are adequate and the access is acceptable."

Officers are recommending approval, with ten conditions attached, when the committee meets on Tuesday. The conditions cover environmental requirements and hours of operation