A waste processing company has admitted breaching out-of-hours restrictions for lorries entering and leaving its rendering plant near Bradford.

Omega Proteins, based at Erlings Works, near Thornton, has agreed to pay Bradford Council £12,000 in costs following lengthy court proceedings against the company and an investigation by the authority.

The company will also pay £15,000 to act as a bond against future enforcement action by the Council.

The company admitted eight breaches of planning regulations concerning the operation of the Erlings Works site and received eight formal cautions.

Omega Proteins was allowed to double the number of lorries travelling in and out of Erlings Works after a public inquiry in Bradford in 2010.

However, under the appeal decision, vehicles were not allowed to enter or leave the site outside the hours of 8am and 7pm Monday to Saturday or at any time on Sundays or Bank Holidays, until acoustic attenuation measures were installed along the route.

Officers monitored lorries travelling out-of-hours for two months from the end of March last year, after receiving complaints from residents living nearby.

Members of the Stop Omega Stink Resident Action Group, which represents residents in Thornton, Well Heads, Keelham and Denholme, described the sum to be paid by Omega Proteins as “grossly inadequate”.

A statement released on behalf of the group said: “The firm has generated income from violations of planning permission for excessive and out-of-hours movements for several months despite the firm’s admissions to breaches in planning permissions.

“The Council officers have not acted swiftly enough to ensure planning permissions were enforced in a timely manner. The fine is little compensation to residents who have suffered from violations of planning permissions for over a year.”

Councillor Val Slater, the Council’s executive member for housing, planning and transport, said: “The operator has agreed to co-operate with the Council and has been warned further enforcement action will be taken if necessary. Planning officers will continue to monitor the operation of the plant.”

A spokesman for Omega Proteins said: “Omega Proteins has agreed to implement a series of management controls at the plant and is working closely with Keelham Primary School on a number of road safety measures. We hope the conclusion of these long-running issues will bring a sense of peace to residents.”