Salford planning KO for William Sinclair

COMPOST specialist William Sinclair has lost a planning appeal to harvest peat at a site in Chat Moss, Salford.

The Lincolnshire-based company, which makes garden products such as compost, was refused planning permission by Salford City Council last year, but then appealed to the Secretary of State for Environment, Owen Paterson.

It had expected to win the appeal, but was informed last week that the decision had gone against it.

Chief executive Bernard Burns said he was “disappointed” at the move and branded the Government’s policy on peat as “incoherent”.

He added: “Nevertheless William Sinclair is in an ideal position to take advantage of the move toward non peat growing media.”

The company said it is reviewing its options with regards to the future of Chat Moss.

Sinclair has recently invested £4.5m in a new production facility at Ellesmere Port where it is making ‘SuperFyba’, an advanced, peat free growing material.   

SuperFyba has similar qualities to peat and was used extensively in the highly successful landscaping of the Olympic Park, London.