‘Unfit for use’
Homes plan for recycling site
Bath’s “dilapidated” recycling centre is a risk to residents and staff and the site could be turned into housing under plans being drawn up by the council. The Midland Road facility has been deemed unfit for purpose, too small and unable to cope with future demand. The waterfront site sits just inside the 98-hectare Riverside Enterprise Area, which is being redeveloped to accommodate up to 9,000 new jobs and 3,400 homes. Bath and North East Somerset Council last week allocated £500,000 from the waste project’s provisional £14.8million budget to take forward its plan for the Midland Road site. Council papers reveal all of its waste services will be moved from Midland Road to unnamed “alternative locations”. Justifying using the funding, the council’s decision notice said: “This new infrastructure is recognised as critical in the district’s capacity to deliver and support the housing growth numbers being targeted through the West of England joint spatial plan and the emerging B&NES local plan.” It states the move will save costs and release additional land for housing. Doing nothing is not an option, the notice states, as it will result in “significant financial costs” for the repairs and maintenance necessary at Midland Road – and potential compensation claims in case of injury. The decision note says: “The current site is not fit for purpose and is at high risk of breaching health and safety regulations; the dilapidated site poses a risk to staff and the public. “This could result in fines from authorities and potentially compensation costs from legal cases. “There are also social and reputational risks to the council for failing to provide necessary waste collection services to residents and failing to provide suitable recycling facilities.” Councillor Martin Veal, then cabinet member for communities, signed off £842,000 to begin the project in 2016. A council report at the time said the relocation project would cost £15million and another £8million would be needed to buy vehicles and containers. It said that while there would be an additional cost pressure, it would “enable operational efficiencies in the delivery of the service” to the tune of £391,000 a year. Moving the centre should “consolidate collection, recycling, refuse collection and waste transfer” on one site. The council also operates recycling centres in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton.