"Noise, fire and explosions" were among residents' complaints about a Hitchin recycling plant, prior to a large blaze this week.
The fire took place at around 8.43pm on Monday (December 11) at Nationwide Metal Recycling off Cadwell Lane, Hitchin.
Following the fire, councillors for Hitchin Bearton ward Ian Albert, Dave Winstanley, Val Bryant released a statement regarding complaints from residents and the risk of future fires in the area.
Speaking shortly after the fire had been extinguished yesterday morning (Tuesday, December 12) the statement read: "We would like to thank Hertfordshire firefighters for their prompt and continuing action.
"We will need to wait for the reports of the causes of the fire from the fire service and health and safety executive.
"But what is clear is that the fire, while under control, will last for some time yet, And the presence onsite of lithium-ion batteries is helping to increase the risk of pollution and contamination.
"The metal recycling plants off Cadwell Lane are near to the homes of many residents who have complained about them frequently on grounds of noise, fire, explosions, large lorries and inconvenience.
"They are also near many businesses providing vital employment.
"We recognise that metal recycling itself creates jobs. But we will be calling on all the relevant authorities such as Herts County Council, North Herts Council, the Environment Agency, to conduct an immediate review whether it is still appropriate to licence metal recycling on the Hitchin Industrial Estates.
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"There are just too many risks for this to continue, in our view, as housing in that part of Hitchin is only likely to increase, and there are real dangers as we saw last night with residents and businesses forced to close windows and avoid the area.
"We have raised many times also about the numbers of large metal recycling lorries going through Hitchin and then along Grove Road.
"Hitchin desperately needs a new access road to the industrial estate. But the risks of further fires will still remain, even with such a road, while metal recycling takes place so close to many homes and businesses."
Nationwide Metal Recycling declined to comment.
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