Councillors agreed the funding at a Full Council meeting on Tuesday (8 September 2026), allowing the council to progress detailed design work and planning preparations for the proposed facility.
The development would bring the council’s waste operations across North Somerset together at one site and provide a replacement HWRC for Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding area.
The council said the project is intended to address challenges with its existing waste infrastructure, as well as changes to national legislation and the need to increase recycling and reuse.
One of the council’s existing waste depots is located on a site where it has limited security of tenure and is too small to accommodate household growth, while the current HWRC is no longer considered suitable for the long-term needs of a growing population.
The proposed facility would provide a new base for waste collection vehicles and operational staff, alongside improved arrangements for the handling and transfer of waste and recycling materials.
It would also provide an upgraded recycling centre for local residents.
Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council’s cabinet member for climate, waste and sustainability, said the authority needed infrastructure that was “fit for the future”.
Waite commented: “Our existing arrangements are not sustainable in the long-term. We need a modern facility that enables us to continue delivering reliable services, improve operational efficiency and meet future environmental and legislative requirements.
“This is about protecting a vital public service for the future while ensuring we achieve the best possible value for North Somerset taxpayers.”
HWRC costs
North Somerset Council said it has carried out benchmarking against similar waste infrastructure projects delivered by other local authorities, alongside detailed cost validation and advice from specialist consultants.
The indicative project budget includes a substantial contingency to account for volatility in the construction market.
The council said construction costs for specialist infrastructure projects have increased in recent years due to higher labour and material costs, as well as increased regulatory requirements.
Councillor Steve Bridger, North Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Digital, AI and Service Transformation (with responsibility for assets), added: “We recognise that the scale of investment required is significant.
“However, we have undertaken detailed benchmarking with other councils that have recently delivered similar facilities, brought in specialist expertise and rigorously tested our assumptions and cost estimates.
“We want residents to be confident that our plans are based on robust evidence and realistic assessments of what these facilities now cost to deliver.”
The next stage of the project will involve developing detailed designs, progressing planning requirements and refining the business cases.
The council said a further decision will be required before the full construction programme can proceed.
The facility is intended to provide long-term waste and recycling infrastructure for North Somerset, with the council saying it will support the delivery of services for residents “for decades to come”.
Register for free to comment