THE owner of one of the town’s biggest scrap merchants and waste recycling firms says he could be forced to pull out of Bolton after planning bosses rejected his plans to expand.

Sean Chadwick, owner of SC Chadwick and Sons Ltd, says he will appeal against the decision which means he cannot extend his site on land he bought in 2002.

Mr Chadwick said: “I am very disappointed with Bolton Council.

The application had the support of the highways and environment agency and was recommended for approval, yet it was refused.

“There is likelihood we could pull out of Bolton. We have worked with the council to look for an alternative site, but there are none.”

An enforcement notice had been issued to SC Chadwick and Sons Ltd after operations were said to be “creeping back” on to the piece of land he had purchased, and skips were placed there.

A retrospective application was submitted, but councillors on the planning committee sided with local residents who objected on the grounds it would impact on their quality of life, and refused the proposal.

Now the company in Brook Mill, Oakenbottom Road, is facing enforcement action, the exact nature of which is being considered by planning officers.

Mr Chadwick said: “The plans were not to receive more waste but to recycle more of what we already get.

We want to be zero landfill by 2015.

Bolton Council has one of the worst records for recycling.

“We do not want to annoy residents, but often get blamed for all the traffic coming to and from the site, and it is not all ours.”

Mr Chadwick said that the application would have improved the site for local residents.

He added: “The planning committee could have deferred the application for more discussions, but it was just rejected without any compromise.”