Major improvement plans for Foxhall Recycling Centre near Ipswich have been unveiled as part of efforts to secure its future.
Suffolk County Council has launched a consultation asking for the public to share their views on the changes, which according to the council are needed because it “currently operates under a time-limited planning permission; without site improvement a new permission will not be secured and would result in the loss of the council’s most important and well-used site”.
The headline changes are a feeder lane on Foxhall Road to prevent queuing on the busy 60mph stretch of road, raised car parking so that people do not need to walk up steps to dispose of waste, and increased capacity for the number of vehicles.
Containers will also be able to be emptied without the need to close the site.
The authority is planning to begin construction next year, ahead of a 2023 completion.
Councillor Paul West, the county council’s cabinet member for waste, said: “These plans, if approved, will greatly improve the access and efficiency, and will increase capacity of the recycling centre at Foxhall, which is Suffolk’s busiest site.
“We are urging people to have a look at the plans online and let us know their views. The plans include highway improvements, changes to layout and easier access to the containers for site users.”
A spokeswoman added: “Footfall through the recycling centres is expected to increase in line with housing growth, with significant growth expected in the catchment area of the Foxhall site.
“The new proposals will help to futureproof the site to accommodate the increase in housing growth and increased numbers of users.”
The council said that Foxhall alone receives nearly 12,000 tonnes of recycling waste per year – around 20% of Suffolk’s entire recycling waste.
Anticipated costs for the improvements have not yet been revealed.
The council has confirmed that the centre will still be accessible from Foxhall Road in both directions, although some traffic measures will be needed in the area while the feeder lane is established.
Bosses hope to keep the centre largely open during construction, but said some areas will need to be shut at certain times, with those set to be advertised well in advance.
The consultation runs until Monday, July 20, to find out more and submit a comment visit the website here.
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