Residents have had enough - Preston cllr calls for full review into ongoing Global Ardour Recycling fire
Crews remain in attendance.
A Preston Councillor is calling for a full review regarding the ongoing fire at Global Ardour Recycling Limited on Longridge Road.
Firefighters are continuing to tackle the major blaze involving around 300 tonnes of scrap metal at the site in Preston, with the incident expected to continue well into the weekend and possibly into early next week.
Eight fire engines remain at the scene after being dispatched to the fire at around 1.30am.
Group Manager and Incident Commander Ian Armistead said firefighters arrived to find approximately 300 tonnes of scrap metal on fire.
The cause of the fire has yet to be established, but Councillor Mark Bell is already calling for a full and transparent review.
It is the second blaze at the recycling centre in Preston - with the last on Sunday, May 17. The previous fire involved waste materials at the recycling centre, which processes scrap metal, said a spokesperson for the company.
He said: “Residents on the Hills estate and across our community have had enough of the recurring fires at the industrial recycling site on Longridge Road.
“While the facility sits just outside the ward boundary, the toxic smoke, heavy odours, and clear health disruptions directly impact our residents.
“A major blaze every single year is unacceptable. Enough is enough.”
He added that he would be taking formal action this week to demand accountability and long-term solutions.
He added: “I am writing directly to the key regulatory and enforcement bodies to push for a coordinated crackdown:
“The Environment Agency: Demanding an immediate review of the site's environmental permit conditions and an investigation into whether fire prevention plans are being breached.
“Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service Protection Team: Requesting the full investigation findings from the most recent blaze and pushing for strict enforcement notices on the operators.
“Preston City Council Environmental Health: Pushing for joint monitoring of the local air quality impact and looking into statutory nuisance enforcement.
“The Site Operators: Sending a formal Letter of Concern demanding immediate updates to their thermal monitoring, site security, and community mitigation measures.
“Our residents deserve clean air, peace of mind, and an end to these fires.”
It is unknown at present whether the blaze is thought to be suspicious.
Global Ardour Recycling was established in January 2024 following the acquisition of the scrap car and metal assets of Recycling Lives, which had entered into administration.