BOTH sides in the controversy over Plastech's intended factory expansion at Gunnislake claimed success at last week's Caradon planning committee meeting.

The objectors said they were pleased that the committee deferred a decision and did not allow the proposed development to go ahead. The company said it was glad to be invited to submit more detailed plans and was confident these would be passed.

The council's planning department said it would work with Plastech on details of drainage, landscaping and building design before the matter came before the committee again.

Around 70 people turned up to last week's meeting — an unprecedented gathering, said officials.

A petition with around 400 signatures objecting to the expansion was presented.

Residents Against Industrial Development (RAID), which compiled the petition, is trying to prevent Plastech from extending its premises at the Delaware Road industrial estate.

Afterwards, RAID's spokesman Richard Harris said he was pleased that councillors were seeing the problems involved in the plan.

'They have seen the breadth of opposition and are asking whether Gunnislake is the right place for this,' he said.

He said RAID would send the council a letter from the South-West Regional Development Agency which advised against disposing of the land for the factory. RAID will continue lobbying councillors and canvassing for signatures to its petition.

Plastech's company secretary Colin Wreford said he was not displeased with the deferment and had not heard any issue raised at the meeting which the company could not deal with.

'The councillors were not swayed by the large number of people there and we hope to get our new plans through the next committee meeting,' he said.

'I hope we can convince the

residents that they have nothing to fear.'

The company, a maker of composites, has been trying for more than two years to get permission to take over a site next to its premises.

It says there is no intention to run a 24-hour operation and there is no threat of industrial waste. The plan is for a 'non-hazardous light industrial expansion'.

Plastech has been at the industrial estate since 1986. It supplies glass fibre and other composites to the aerospace, boat-building and racing car industries.

It has a turnover of £1.4-million and employs 18 people and hopes to employ eight more if expansion is allowed, as well as helping to support many local suppliers.

The objectors say the development would damage the rural environment, cause noise, light and possibly chemical pollution and create traffic and drainage problems.