The next stages in building a controversial £20million waste hub on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds have been agreed by councillors.
The proposed West Suffolk Operational Hub at Hollow Road Farm in Fornham St Martin will combine waste facilities and street services for west Suffolk on a single site.
Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s cabinet approved investing an extra £1million to cover costs brought forward through the consultation, planning and design development stages of the project.
Councillors also agreed, subject to receiving planning consent, to the council exercising its option to buy the required land at Hollow Road Farm so that work can start as soon as possible on the project.
There was also support – again subject to planning permisssion – for the borough council to enter into a contract to construct the waste hub along with Suffolk County Council and Forest Heath District Council.
The council says the current facilities are not fit for purpose and the proposal will see the waste depots at Olding Road in Bury St Edmunds and Holborn Avenue in Mildenhall vacated and relocated to the new site.
The council says sharing facilities and co-locating waste and recycling services on one site will limit future cost increases and improve facilities as well as meeting future demand.
Councillor Peter Stevens, portfolio holder for operations, said: “I am pleased that once a decision has been made by the secretary of state on planning permission we can get on and build this much needed project as soon as possible.
“West Suffolk is a popular place to live and growing quickly and we need facilities that are fit for purpose to meet these growing needs.
“It will also help improve reuse and recycling by creating modern facilities close to Bury St Edmunds. This is a partnership project and means by working together we can provide better facilities for our communities while working more efficiently together.
“This is part of our overall aim in west Suffolk to manage growth while delivering high quality services.”
Meanwhile, the Bury St Edmunds masterplan was also approved to go to full council on December 19, following the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
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