Work to start on new Recycling Centre for Sidmouth
Construction works will start on the new Recycling Centre for Sidmouth, Ottery St. Mary and surrounding villages in February.
The new site is just to the south of the existing facility at Woods Farm, near the Bowd on the C808 Ottery St Mary road.
The new centre will replace the old, existing facility which is now inadequate for modern demands.
The new larger centre will give residents a far superior service with minimal queuing and congestion and make it far easier and convenient to recycle household items and waste.
The site will be of a split-level design where the public can deposit items for recycling or disposal in various containers placed at a lower level, without the need to climb steps. The majority of HGV movements will take place separate from the public area which will enable the site to remain open to the public when waste containers are being exchanged.
A traffic loop system with ample car parking will ensure a smooth flow of traffic preventing the problem of stationary vehicles blocking the access and exit route. Overall, the new site will be of a design and capacity that will prevent vehicles having to queue on the Public Highway during peak periods or during container exchanges, as happens with the existing site.
The new site will also feature a small building and dedicated yard to enable recovered goods/bric-a-brac etc to be sold to the public.
The area will be sympathetically landscaped and planted with trees and shrubs to maximise screening. Around 5,000 trees will be planted and will screen the site and minimise the impact on the local area.
Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Community, said: "This will be a modern, well designed facility, fit for purpose and a real asset for the community. In recent years, there has been much more emphasis on treating waste as resource and this will certainly help residents dispose of unwanted items but also allow us to supply the waste industry with quality materials. We have 20 recycling centres now across the county which make an enormous contribution to our waste reduction targets."
Councillor Stuart Hughes, County Councillor for Sidmouth and Sidford and Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: "I'm so pleased that at long last we are going to see work begin on this state-of-the-art Civic Amenity Recycling Centre. We have worked hard on this project for a number of years to find the right location to ensure local people get the best possible facility. The Woods Farm is one of the County's top performing centres but it isn't user friendly, which is limiting its use. The new site will offer local people an improved service which should encourage more people to recycle more often.".
Councillor Roger Giles County Councillor for Ottery St Mary Rural said; "I welcome the major investment by Devon County Council for a modern and larger and environmentally friendly recycling centre. This will enable people to recycle more materials in a safer environment. I expect to see recycling increased, and the material going to landfill decreasing as a result."
