MONMOUTH residents are angry that a new renewable energy plant could be built near their homes and are worried how this could affect the health of the community.

 A Leicestershire company has applied to reuse an industrial unit on the Hadnock Road to create a plant fuelled by waste wood.

But a local school on Hadnock Road and some 50 residents living in the immediate area, including the mobile home site of Riverside Park, are objecting to proposals.

Crossdean Ltd claim that the operation would generate renewable heat and electricity for around 4,000 to 5,000 homes by burning 40,000 tonnes per year of locally-sourced mixed waste wood.

But the Wyesham community fear it would increase local air pollution and cause traffic problems.

Nigel James, Bursar of Monmouth School, said in a letter to Monmouthshire County council that the dust and fumes from the incinerator and traffic could have a significant potential adverse health impact on almost 700 pupils at nearby schools including The Grange which is within 100metres of the site.

At the age of 82, Hadnock Road resident Maurice Matthews is spearheading the campaign against the proposals and said: "This road may lead to various industrial units and already is quite chaotic, but if we had another 40 vehicles using it each day, it would be horrendous."

Another resident George Boyce, 72 said: "While we accept that this is an industrial area we are not anti-technology, but operations like this should not be placed in Hadnock Road.

"Previously The building was home to Stelrad and Castle Corrugated but they never had anything like the same amount of traffic movement to what is proposed here.

"While the company only propose operating for 275 days a year, there will be traffic movement between 7am and 6pm and effectively what we will have is a lorry entering or leaving the site every 15 minutes.

"The area has changed a lot since the cardboard processing plant moved out because the Grange School has relocated to Hadnock Road and the road itself has been substantially improved for recreational use.

Chris Hopkins, a Hadnock Road resident said: "This road now forms part of the Peregrine walk through to Symonds Yat and is well used by walkers and cyclists using the old railway track."

Mr Matthews pointed out: "We also have a number of environmental concerns including the fact that tall chimney stack would be so hot that the flu system would penetrate anything the weather system could generate."

The company said they proposed to employ 10 full time staff and said that any emissions would be extremely clean and harmless.