North Somerset Council is set to discuss plans for a new £56 million recycling centre and waste depot in Weston-super-Mare as the existing facility’s lease approaches its expiration.
A recent council report highlighted that the current core waste depot operates on land subject to a lease due to expire soon, while the household waste recycling centre has been deemed unsuitable for long-term use.
At the council meeting scheduled for 8 September, members will be asked to approve an initial £2.5 million to cover design and planning permissions for the new facility. However, the total projected cost for construction and related developments could reach £56 million, with completion anticipated in 2029.
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The financial breakdown includes £9.3 million for the recycling centre, £29.4 million for the waste transfer station, and £16.8 million allocated to the transport and operations hub. Additional expenses such as fees and project management are expected to add around £550,000.
Approval at this stage pertains solely to the preliminary £2.5 million for design work, which will also provide updated and detailed cost estimates before the council considers further financial commitments.
Funding sources are still under consideration, ranging from potential savings at existing waste recycling centres and maximising revenue from recyclable materials, to the utilisation of governmental waste grants and possible borrowing.
One proposed site for the new facility is the Avoncrest former landfill, situated near the current recycling centre in Weston-super-Mare.
The council report emphasises the urgency of the project, noting that the waste team’s lease ends on 28 July 2028 with no possibility of extension. Without securing a new depot before this deadline, waste services would need to operate under a contingency arrangement, which would be significantly more costly.
“It is imperative that the depot is delivered as quickly as possible,” the report states. Council officers recommend that members approve the commissioning of a development plan for the new waste depot encompassing all operations of the North Somerset Environmental Centre as well as the new household waste recycling centre, alongside the requested capital programme increase of £2.5 million.