WARRINGTON Borough Council has hit back at claims it is putting money ahead of the environment over plans to create a waste transfer facility on Winwick Road.

Controversial plans to create a waste transfer facility on a site between Winwick Road Skip Hire and the Shell petrol station were revealed last year.

Cllr Mike Hannon had claimed that the proposal was 'about revenue saving v environmental impact', with the Warrington Borough Council's waste currently processed in Widnes.

He had also expressed concern that, with no major highways improvement planned, bin lorries would have to travel to the roundabouts at LA Bowl and the Cockhedge centre when leaving or accessing the site.

But the council has moved to dispel these worries.

A spokesman said: "The proposed site is surrounded on three sides by industrial businesses.

"The fourth side is Winwick Road, which currently handles more than 35,000 vehicle movements per day.

"The proposed site will result in an increase in traffic of about half a per cent - adding just one second to journeys on Winwick Road.

"It is worth noting too that virtually any other use on the site - a retail unit, for example - would result in a hugely increased volume of traffic in the area.

"The layout of the new junction we have proposed means that there will be no queueing traffic on the A49, and traffic will continue to flow freely up and down Winwick Road.

"Our vehicles already use Winwick Road and, of course, Cockhedge roundabout when they access our current operational waste transfer site at School Brow, so the net impact on the road network will be minimal.

"The environmental impact of driving to Widnes a couple of times a day is very considerable, and this would represent a significant environmental benefit overall."

Warrington Borough Council has also dismissed concerns that the site will attract vermin.

The council's spokesman added: "All the waste will be contained within the building, so there will be no outside waste that might attract vermin or birds.

"This is a very different facility to a landfill site or even a skip-based waste transfer site.

"We are anticipating that all of the waste will be removed from the site within 24 hours.

"Because all of the waste is inside the sealed building, the odour control system that filters the air will ensure that no odours escape."

Any development would be subject to gaining planning permission.

Anyone who wishes to find out more about the proposals for the waste transfer site is invited to attend public engagement event at Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub from 10am to 4pm on Thursday, February 22, and between 4.30pm and 8pm on Monday, February 26.