A NEW era in waste disposal has been hailed in Dorset and includes plans for a controversial mechanical biological treatment centre in Ferndown and another at Hurn.

When plans for such a centre on Ferndown Industrial Estate were announced a year ago the community reacted with fury and Dorset County Council received hundreds of objections.

The planners went back to the drawing board and yesterday announced plans to build the centre, which will take up around three hectares, on neighbouring greenbelt land at Blunts Farm, near Uddens, another within the north-west sector of Bournemouth Airport and a third at Winfrith.

Unveiling the plans yesterday, Adrian Poller, head of waste management at the county council, described the centres as "like a giant shed" and said they produced virtually no noise or smell.

His colleague Andy Price, head of planning, acknowledged plans for Ferndown were controversial but said the new site is further from residents, close to a main road and obscured by trees.

Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) sorts through rubbish. Organic material is removed and composted and the remaining waste can either be sent to landfill or prepared as refuse derived fuel (RFD).

The centres cost an estimated £25million each and would take 15 months to construct. Council chiefs hope the first will be running by 2009.

First published: Sept 18