Senior councillors are expected to approve plans to upgrade Kirkstall Road Recycling Plant.
A report to be considered by the council’s executive board recommends the council approve £5.2 million expenditure on the new facility – that’s £943,000 more expensive than a scheme approved for the same site just last year.
Following last year’s approval, the council says it identified a number of areas that did not meet its requirements. The revised cost is down to new plans being drawn up for the site.
Kirkstall is the last of eight sites across Leeds to be modernised.
The report says:
“The proposed scheme will provide major enhancements to recycling facilities and services for residents in this area of the City, and will also support a further increase in recycling performance.”
Plans include:
- a new public recycling area with a separate operations area;
- one way traffic circulation routes;
- a re-use shop;
- two weighbridges and associated cabin;
- a dedicated council trade waste area,
- including a covered waste storage and bulking area;
- new staff offices and mess facilities;
- landscaping works;
- a new site drainage system;
- fuel storage facilities;
- covered wheeled bin storage area;
- parking areas
The name of the council’s preferred contractor has been withheld from the public due to the deal being commercially sensitive.
Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for environmental protection and community safety, said:
“Modernising the facilities at Kirkstall Road recycling centre is long overdue and is a key part of our plans to provide facilities that allow people to reuse and recycle as much as possible.
“The site is well used, but with a much needed upgrade, we can replicate the success of the redeveloped east Leeds recycling centre and build on people’s appetite to recycle even more.”
If approved, the successful bidder could start work on site in November 2015 with an estimated completion date of November 2016.
The site would remain closed throughout works and people would be directed to alternative recycling sites at Meanwood Road and Pudsey.
Part of the site was demolished last year after complaints that it had become an eyesore following a blaze in 2002.
Read the full report here. The executive board meets next Wednesday at 1pm in Leeds Civic Hall.