A waste plant needs to provide more details over plans to extend its operating hours and catchment areas, councillors have warned.

Halstead Town Council is officially objecting to plans to relax regulations at the Biogen plant on Bluebridge Industrial Estate.

Bosses at the plant, which deals with food waste, are asking Essex County Council for permission to open an hour earlier in the mornings and scrap a rule which means it can only accept waste from clients within 30 miles of the plant.

Biogen argues the changes will help it to remain competitive in the food waste market.

But town councillors are opposing the plans and want to see more detail on the proposed changes before giving their approval.

Minutes from a recent meeting state: “It was said that the public don’t want any additional facilities at the site as more traffic will be accessing the facility with no by-pass for Halstead planned in the near future.

“Much discussion took place about disruption for residents and concerns were raised about the lack of information about widened radius for collections.

“Councillor Sutton proposed that stipulations be made that facility should handle food waste only and that there should be a stipulated limit on additional radius for waste catchment and limits to tonnage handled.

“Halstead Town Council also stated that 7am is not acceptable as a starting time for the facility and it requires much more information about details of the application.”

Councillors were unanimous in objecting to the plans.

Essex County Council will consider all comments from consultees, including the town council, before deciding whether to approve the proposals.