The first stage of the project, which began last week, will see construction firm Farrans start works to build a new household waste and recycling centre (HWRC) in Keynsham, Somerset.
Once this is built, the council will “consolidate” its current operational facility in Keynsham into the new facility.
The new facility will also include a materials recovery facility, waste transfer station, fleet maintenance and a public MoT and servicing centre, highways winter service satellite and an extra salt storage facility.
The council’s Midland Road site in Bath will then be closed to “release brownfield land to build new homes, including affordable housing, supported by Homes England grant funding”. Both will remain open for residents during the construction of the new site.
Design
The overall project to build the new facility and close the two sites will cost £39.1 million. This is up from the original £23 million estimate.
In line with the council’s “climate and ecological emergency declarations and policy aims”, the site design includes:
• on-site renewable energy generation, via a 3800m2 (783kWp) solar panel array
• office and welfare buildings designed fabric-first to be sustainable
• rainwater harvesting and sustainable drainage
The planning application for the facility was approved by the council in July last year, in line with the local authority’s targets to increase its recycling rate.
‘Transformational’
Councillor David Wood, cabinet member for neighbourhood services, commented: “I’ve been along to meet the teams working on this project and I am very pleased to see the progress made on site.
“It will be transformational, expanding public recycling provision while future-proofing our service and meeting the need for household waste and recycling and kerbside collections now and in the future. I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing the construction progress.”
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