MORE than one year on and Bodelwyddan residents may have a solution to an "obnoxious smell" that they can stomach – provided certain conditions are met.

After a contentious 19 month period with The Real Petfood Company (TRPC) the town's Mayor cllr Richard Mainon has softened his demands to cease operations at the Kinmel Park factory, in favour of working on a new solution for a persistent odour nuisance to be discussed at Denbighshire County Council's planning committee on Wednesday, November 14.

It is recommended councillors grant consent to TRPC latest proposal, which will see a plans for two 40-metre chimney stacks scaled back to a single, 35-metre construction using 'Best Availble Techniques' of Bio Filter 'scrubbing' technology to combat emissions from its baked pet treats at source.

Also coming up for discussion at the committee meeting at Ruthin County Hall is the a separate proposal for an office extension to the £6million factory which was deferred in February.

Cllr Mainon said: "Nobody will be speaking against the proposal at -planning except my good self, albeit to raise additional conditions.

"If TRPC's solution leaves us in a situation where we only have the odour issue five days out of the year, we want to know that there will be an immediate shutdown on that day. Since April 2017 residents have had to live with this obnoxious smell, so we want better access to the company through a direct line to report any odour nuisance when it arises."

"I would also expect that TRPC rally on with this once is approved, rather than mess about with new offices while residents still deal with this smell. It must be added that any expansion to the factory, which I believe currently is only using a third of its capacity, must have all of the correct filtration technology installed before they begin operations.

"We don't want to have more drawn out battles every time they begin manufacturing new products. If they agree to this, then I would consider this solution defensible to residents."

The problem, which has been described as feeling "like you are being forced to consume (TRPC) products" led to village's first demonstration in 50 years outside the factory,which employs 70. in July.

Cllr Mainon's turnaround - who The Journal reported labelled the local authority "impotent" in safeguarding residents - follows an updated report by the council's heritage officers aimed at addressing the visual impact.

The Mayor hopes that while residents are still being asked to make a trade off between the smell and the visual impact of a chimney, the the proposal now includes a non-reflective coating and additional planting to screen the stack .

Cllr Mainon added: "I have to commend the council, they have been amazing since I voiced my disappointment in The Journal.

"They've moved heaven and earth since then to make sure everything was explored in detail, thoroughly and fairly, for the benefit of Bodelwyddan as well as dragging TRPC to the table.

"We've had neutral parties come in, and at this stage if we made any more demands it would be Bodelwyddan Town Council who would be unreasonable."

James Lawson, managing director of TRPC, said: “Throughout this whole process we have worked closely with the council to find a permanent solution to the odour issue. The business is keen to play a key role in the continuing economic development of this area.

“I am confident our commitment to install the best odour abatement equipment combined with a single, reduced height chimney will provide the answer and we want to progress as quickly as possible with a solution if we can gain the permission to proceed. I look forward to the planning hearing on November 14.”

Cllr Mainon said: "All being well, I'm hoping TRPC will go from success to success in Bodelwyddan, in a way that we don't have to smell it and we finally end up with a good neighbour so we can move on."