A COUPLE fear the effect on their home if Dorset County Council choses Walditch for its waste transfer site.

Their nightmare began eight months ago when Nick and Christine Prideaux read in the Bridport News that a site behind their home was in the running for the waste disposal facility.

That was bad enough but then last week they saw plans at a packed public meeting called by the Walditch and Bothenhampton Parish Council showing the site access appeared to go through their property.

Dorset County Council (DCC) has spent £250,000 on consultants to look at site options but the Prideaux say no-one has contacted or spoken to them.

Former Colfox teacher Mrs Prideaux, 66, said: “We just feel we have been steamrollered over. It certainly looked like the access would severely affect our property. But you don’t seem to be able to get any precise information.”

The couple have been in their home for more that 40 years and used to run a bed and breakfast business and would like to option to do so again if they need to.

Mrs Prideaux said: “We just can’t imagine living here with something like that right alongside.

“You can’t afford to move so you have got to jolly well put up with it.”

They say the site – which the council is calling the Green Lane Nursery site even though such a place hasn’t existed for 10 years – only got its top grading as a potential site because their home was the only property alongside it.

Mr Prideaux, 68, added: “It’s been really stressful for us and it’s unprofessional of them. We lose sleep over it and our property has probably been devalued by £300,000 just because of this.”

He said choosing the site would also result in a phenomenal amount of fly tipping because for seven months of the year weekend traffic queues often tailbacked to Shipton Lane.

Fellow Walditch resident Peter Dunn is lodging a complaint with the Local Government Ombudsman over DCC’s behaviour in searching for a site.

He has written to chief executive David Jenkins saying: “The consultants employed by you to investigate sites for a new rubbish tip are spreading mischief and fear in the farming community near my home village and I am writing to ask you to get a grip on some of their highly-questionable activities.

“DCC’s behaviour throughout has been a disgrace.”

Mr Dunn has also enlisted the help of MP Oliver Letwin.

Mr Letwin said: “I don’t think it is at all likely that the transfer station will be located in Walditch which seems to me a clearly inappropriate location.”

More than 100 residents packed the village hall last week to talk about the Walditch sites.

A spokeswoman for DCC said: “We are making a sincere effort to keep local people informed and involved throughout our search to find the most suitable site for a waste managementcentre in Bridport.

“The findings of the final report, which takes into consideration local information and comments from residents on the pros and cons of each of the seven short-listed sites, will be completed shortly.

“These will be presented to the county council’s cabinet in the autumn, who will make a final decision on which site goes forward for a planning application.

“Public consultation will form part of any planning application and residents will have the opportunity to comment further.”

For details visit dorsetforyou.com/westwasteplan