A maximum of £100,000 is being put aside to drive forward plans for a shared site for a waste transfer station, a recycling centre and borough council depot.

St Edmundsbury Borough councillors approved the funding - most of which is for securing an option on the land - at a meeting on Monday.

The preferred site in question has not yet been disclosed publically as it is commercially sensitive, the borough council has said, but a private paper before councillors identified it.

Currently the site of the recycling centre in Rougham Hill in Bury St Edmunds is earmarked by Suffolk County Council for a waste transfer station and recycling centre operation, but this is the subject of a judicial review taking place next week.

Suffolk County Council has said it is “convinced” Rougham Hill is a suitable location for the waste transfer station, but it has also agreed to look at alternative sites proposed by the borough council.

A new site for the borough council’s depot - which houses the council’s waste collection, street cleansing, grounds maintenance and fleet operation vehicles - would free up land next to the council’s shared headquarters at West Suffolk House in Bury to welcome other public service partners.

Councillor Peter Stevens, cabinet member for waste and property, said: “The alternative site that will be explored in this project has the potential to become a significant operational hub for west Suffolk.”

During the debate councillor Diane Hind said: “If they [Suffolk County Council] are going to be amenable on this, why is there going to be a judicial review next week?”

John Corrie, of the campaign group which is against a waste transfer station at Rougham Hill, said Monday’s decision was a “brilliant result for us”.