Cardiff Council has granted permission for a recycling plant in Splott to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including Sundays and bank holidays. The decision, approved in 2026, allows Plan B Management Solutions Limited to run the facility at Seawall Road on the Tremorfa Industrial Estate around the clock.
Application Details and Rationale
The application stated that the change would “allow flexibility” to meet customer requirements. Planning documents noted: “On the basis of our customer requirements, including local authorities, and need to process materials we are requesting a change of operation to allow the flexibility of 24-hour opening seven days a week including Sundays and bank holidays.” The site is located in an area with heavy industry, with industrial processes operating throughout the working day and historically into evening hours.
Previous Operating Restrictions
In 2024, Cardiff Council originally permitted the conversion of an existing warehouse into a recycling facility with restricted hours: 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 7am to 1pm on Saturdays, and no operations on Sundays or public holidays. The new approval removes these restrictions entirely.
Impact on Processing and Traffic
The applicant is not planning to increase the 75,000 tonnes of material processed annually, nor the 144 vehicle movements per week (including arrivals and departures). Instead, the extended hours allow for more flexible scheduling. The application stated: “The site is being developed into a recycling plant and will service several local authorities which typically work seven days a week and require us to provide a tipping facility.”
Noise and Residential Impact
The planning officer’s report concluded that the extended hours would not cause unacceptable noise impacts on nearby homes. The nearest residential properties are approximately 150 metres away along Muirton Road and Willows Avenue, with commercial and industrial uses in between. The report stated: “The application site is surrounded by other commercial and industrial uses… [Therefore] it is concluded that the proposed extended operating hours would not give rise to unacceptable noise impacts on nearby residential properties.”
