Concerns over foot and mouth

I am writing to express my concerns about the planning application for an In-Vessel Composting Facility at Brookfield Farm, Whittington, Oswestry.

I recall that a local councillor commented back in 2003, when the first planning application was made for Brookfield Farm, that it could be the first toe-hold for the development of full-scale waste disposal operation.

This suggestion was firmly denied and the application was approved on the understanding that it would only be a low-key farm-based composting venture.

A further planning permission was slipped through in 2005 which increased the throughput to 6,000 tons per year and established a weighbridge on site.

It seems that the councillor's prediction has come true in that we are now facing the establishment of a large-scale waste food processing plant, with all its accompanying smells and other environmental downsides, right in the heart of our village community.

The foot and mouth outbreak that occurred a few years ago arose from food wastes coming into contact with farm livestock.

Although I am no scientific expert, my recollection from the previous foot and mouth outbreaks was that the only effective way to kill the virus was to cook the food wastes at a very high temperature.

Has anybody investigated whether the composting of food waste kills off the virus that can cause foot and mouth?

To my mind we are sitting on a foot and mouth time bomb if this composted food waste is spread on the land.

Name and address supplied