A row has broken out over plans to relocate a waste site that campaigners claim is making residents’ lives “hell” due to noise and pollution.

Barnet’s Labour Group has accused the Conservatives of breaking a series of election pledges they made to address locals’ concerns over the PB Donoghue waste management site in Claremont Road, Cricklewood.

Cllr Anne Clarke, Labour member for Childs Hill, has written to council leader Cllr Richard Cornelius asking him to redouble efforts to relocate the facility.

Labour claims the council failed to include Donoghue in the first Brent Cross South Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) – a move that would have guaranteed an early relocation of the waste site.

But chairman of the Conservative Group Cllr Peter Zinkin dismissed the claims and said a cross-party group had been tackling environmental and health and safety issues at the site.

He added that the council needed the Greater London Authority (GLA’s) assistance to move PB Donoghue to another area.

Labour claims the Tories broke their promises to take legal action in relation to past breaches of Environment Agency conditions and to withhold a licence for the concrete crusher in use at the site.

Opposition councillors also raised concerns over a photograph showing Conservative councillors on a float pulled by a PB Donoghue truck at a New Year’s Day Parade.

Cllr Clarke said: “Residents that have to put up with daily dust and noise pollution from Donoghue will wonder why the Conservatives are not carrying out their promise to relocate the site and take proper action against the operator.

“They also wonder why the Conservatives cosied up to Donoghue on a New Year’s Day parade?

“It shows a lack of judgement from the Conservatives on this issue.

“Residents have had meetings with Donoghue in the past and nothing changes. What they need is action to relocate Donoghue and deal with past breaches.”

Campaigners are also stepping up their efforts to have the waste site moved.

The Relocate Donoghue Campaign will hold a protest on March 22 after claiming residents and businesses had been “living in hell for more than a decade” due to the waste plant.

But Cllr Zinkin defended the Conservative Group’s handling of the Claremont Road site.

He said PB Donoghue was a “successful company” but agreed it needed to move because it is now surrounded by housing.

A cross-party group was set up to deal with the issues around the waste facility after the 2014 local elections.

Responding to concerns, the group imposed weight and speed restrictions on heavy goods vehicles using nearby roads.

Cllr Zinkin said the Environment Agency is currently reviewing Donoghue’s licence and whether the volume of material they process is appropriate

He said: “Barnet restricted the concrete crusher licence for months but it had to be licensed in the end because there was a statutory obligation to do so.

“There was a motion passed at full council to look into moving Donoghue – but the problem is there is a presumption in the GLA plan that it is a mandatory waste site, and unless alternative provision is found somewhere else, it can’t be moved because of the waste site shortage in London.”

The Conservative chairman said it was not yet at the appropriate stage of the Brent Cross development for the council to issue a CPO on the site.

He said: “We can’t just go around CPO-ing things when we want to

“The only way of making this work is for Donoghue to move.

“The site is perfectly suitable for housing, and the council is prepared to do anything to facilitate that – but without the help of the GLA, it is not possible.

“The GLA have been dealing with it for a year and have done absolutely nothing.”

But A GLA spokesperson said: “Barnet Council is aware that any lost waste capacity at the PB Donoghue site would need to be provided elsewhere in London and the council is responsible for finding suitable alternatives.

“City Hall officers have encouraged Barnet to work with other boroughs to relocate the waste site as part of their new North London Waste Plan.”

A spokesperson for PB Donoghue said: “We are doing everything we can as a regulated business to adhere to all those regulations, and we do.

“We are more than happy to enter into dialogue with residents, councillors and Barnet Council and look for a way forward to relocate our depot and the provision of waste to an alternative site.”

The Relocate Donoghue Protest will take place on Friday, March 22 between 8am and 9.30am.