AN Earthcott Green farmer has been given the green light to carrying on composting.

South Gloucestershire planning chiefs unanimously approved plans by Richard King to continue composting imported green garden waste on land at Old Green Farm.

Previously the waste came mostly from a central shredding centre in Avonmouth after being collected at various civic amentity sites around Bristol. Now, the land is set to provide a facility for South Gloucestershire Council's green waste collections from the Thornbury and Yate areas.

Mr King told the development control (west) committee that his family had farmed the land for 100 years but profitability from his arable and dairy operations was now so poor that tdiversification was vital.

"This type of activity is ideal for farm diversification," he said. " It is not just about disposing of waste. It provides a good soil conditioner for heavy arable land."

Supporting the scheme, Severn ward councillor Matthew Riddle said it was government policy to help farmers diversify.

"Compost is a wonderful thing," he said. "It's a way of removing pollutants and getting back to the old days of putting compost on the land."

The committee heard that lorry deliveries to the main composting area at Tap Ground - in an open field about 150 metres to the east of the B4427 road - would average five a week. It was a remote site with no residential properties within one kilometre.

Waste would be formed into 1000 cubic metre piles - a maximum of three metres high - for open air composting. Once the biodegradable waste is shredded it will then be composted for around 12-14 weeks and after screening the finished product will be used on the land at the appropriate time of year.

A second site at Eastfield, west of the B4427, would be used mainly as a storage and maturation area.