Recycling site will be out of the city centre

The replacement for Bath’s “dilapidated” recycling site will not be in the city centre because there are better uses for the land.

Cabinet member Bob Goodman said it was “no secret” the site of the Midland Road facility will be redeveloped with housing and plans have been evolving since at least 2002.

The waterfront site sits just inside the 98-hectare Riverside Enterprise Area, which is being regenerated to accommodate up to 9,000 new jobs and 3,400 homes.

The Bath and North East Somerset Council-owned recycling facility is due to close in 2021/22 but the location of its replacement is still yet to be determined.

Councillor Goodman, whose remit is development and neighbourhoods, said: “Midland Road needs to close. It’s no secret the plan is for housing there - that was agreed several years ago by a previous administration.

“There are several options being looked at. It won’t be an existing location. Wherever we put the new facility, someone isn’t going to like it.

“It won’t be in the city centre, and I don’t think it should be. There’s better use of the land in the city centre.

“I don’t know where it’s going to be. Various sites are being looked at. I’m hopeful we’ll know by the end of the year.

“I’ve been to a dozen recycling centres locally and as far away as London to make sure we get what some of them have. We can learn from what they got wrong.”

Council officers have judged the Midland Road facility unfit for purpose, unable to cope with future demand and a risk to residents and staff.

The cost of repairs and maintenance necessary to keep it open would be “significant” - and it could face compensation claims if someone gets hurt, officers warned.

“Anyone who uses Midland Road will know it’s not efficient,” said Mr Goodman. “The city is much bigger now than when it was designed. Its sell-by date has gone.”

Plans to replace the Midland Road facility and open up the site for redevelopment date back to at least 2002, but no set destination was specified.

A council report in 2010 said: “There are very few sites in Bath suitable for being developed as a replacement recycling centre. None are in the council’s ownership.

“By purchasing an option on the most suitable site now the council will have a greater degree of security that relocation from Midland Road is possible if proposals for housing come forward.”

The project took a step forward in August this year when the authority “drew down” £500,000 from a provisional £14.8million budget.

Mr Goodman added: “I’m committed to ensuring we have an extremely efficient recycling centre.

“It will feature renewable energy measures like solar panels so all the costs are met within the centre and it may put something back into the grid.

“It should have a reuse shop, something we already do at Pixash Lane. Some stuff people throw away can be resold. Some authorities do that better than we do.”

There is also a transfer station at Midland Road that is used by collection teams that Mr Goodman said will “almost certainly” be moved to the Pixash Lane facility in Keynsham.

I’m committed to ensuring we have an extremely efficient recycling centre