A LONG-AWAITED revamp of a Teesdale recycling centre will start in April with the aim of it reopening at the end of this year.
The Stainton Grove Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) will close on Monday, April 9, to be replaced with a £2million facility complete with a shop and a trade waste drop off for small businesses.
Durham County Council unveiled plans for the site in 2016 and money has now been secured to start work.
It is hoped the new centre will provide a wider range of recycling facilities and reopen later in 2018.
Cllr Brian Stephens, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “The existing household waste recycling centre at Stainton Grove is very small, limiting the range of commodities that can be deposited by residents.
“It is situated at the entrance to the existing depot and opening hours have had to be reduced to weekend opening only to reduce traffic problems.
“Funding is now in place to construct a replacement HWRC facility on the existing council depot site, adjacent to the current household waste recycling centre.”
He added: “The new facility will be much larger and will offer a wider range of waste and recycling facilities including a bigger HWRC for residents, trade recycling facilities, and a reuse shop on the site.
“The shop will be open seven days a week.”
John Shannon, strategic waste manager at the county council, added: “We also hope that by offering longer opening hours and by accepting a far wider range of materials we will help to further reduce the risks of fly tipping across the dale.”
Work is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The existing centre will be closed for the work and HWRC users will be directed to alternative household waste recycling centres.
The nearest alternative sites while Stainton Grove is closed are: Middleton-in-Teesdale DL12 0NG; Romanway, Bishop Auckland DL14 9AW; Heighington, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6AP.
All three sites are open seven days a week from 9am to 3.30pm from October to March and from 9am to 6pm from April to September.
A mobile recycling site at Frosterley, DL13 2TL, also operates every other Saturday morning between 9am and noon from April 21.
Council depot facilities will continue to be on the site during the work and afterwards.
