A NEW helicopter landing pad is causing a bit of a stink in Penrith.

The new area has been built by Omega Proteins at its animal rendering plant in the town.

According to the retrospective application before Eden District Council, the local planning authority, the heli-pad will be used to allow the company’s owner to fly in visit the plant.

Now objections, including those from campaign group Fresh AIR for Penrith, means the application is on the agenda for the next Eden District Council planning committee.

“The last Omega planning application to be called to committee was April 2018, since then, for over two years, all Omega applications have been ‘delegated’ for officer decision,” said the campaign’s Jeff Thomson.

“By making objections on planning grounds, the council is obliged to ‘call-in’ the application and put it before councillors for discussion, consideration and decision.

“To build the structure first shows there was an assumption on the company’s part that no-one would object and the application would be ‘nodded’ through.”

Fresh AIR for Penrith has made objections to seven current planning applications from Omega before Eden District Council.

Four, including the heli-pad, were accepted on planning grounds.

The other three, including the construction of industrial buildings and yard, will be heard at future planning committee meetings.

The virtual planning meeting, to discuss the heli-pad retrospective application, can be viewed online via Eden District Council’s website and Microsoft Teams from 9.30am on Thursday, November 19.

A spokesman for Omega Proteins said: “The application is before next week’s planning committee.

“The officer’s recommendation is for approval and we have nothing further to add.”

For decades Penrith has suffered an odour nuisance, commonly known as the Penrith ‘pong’ which prompted the group Fresh AIR for Penrith to fight against the Omega Protein plant and prevent further expansion of the site.

The Fresh AIR for Penrith is a resident-led campaign to stop further expansion at the controversial site and to bring an end to odour which has blighted the town for decades.