The proposed centre would be built next to the Bicester Park and Ride site by 2030, subject to public consultation and planning permission.
Planning permission for the existing Ardley HWRC is due to expire on 30 December 2026. A planning application is expected later this month seeking an extension until March 2031.
Councillor Laura Gordon, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for environment and economy, said: “Ardley HWRC is more than 40 years old and no longer meets the standards expected of a modern recycling centre.
“With the lease due to expire, we have an opportunity to plan a new facility, closer to population centres in Bicester and Kidlington and accessible from major roads.
“As well as providing up-to-date recycling facilities, the new centre will be home to a new re-use facility – something residents have been requesting for a long time.”
The council’s preferred access point for the new facility would be a junction off Vendee Drive.
The proposed HWRC would include a reuse shop where suitable items could be sold, alongside updated recycling facilities.
The wider development would also be designed to deliver a biodiversity net gain, with habitats managed and maintained over the longer term in line with national requirements.
Residents and other interested parties will have opportunities to comment on the proposals as they develop. A programme of public consultation is planned to support the planning application.
Gordon added that the council would keep residents informed as the scheme progresses.
The council’s recycling rate currently sits at 56.60%, up on the overall 43.8% in 2024/25 for England.
Oxfordshire County Council operates seven household waste recycling centres across the county, where residents can dispose of household waste. The proposed development would maintain this level of service.
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