Leeds’ busiest recycling site has re-opened in Kirkstall Road today with a brand new re-use shop as part of a £5.2m revamp of its services.
Residents and local businesses can donate re-usable items such as furniture, working electrical items, clothing, bikes, toys, books, CDs and bric-a-brac direct to the new Revive Leeds re-use shop.
The purpose-built shop has its own dedicated car park and is also accessible on foot from Evanston Avenue.
Louise Megson, of Revive Leeds, said:
“This is an exciting opportunity for Revive Leeds to expand its successful re-use operation in Seacroft.
“We work closely with the local community and really hope that we will be made welcome by the residents of West Leeds through donations, volunteering and coming to the shop to buy some quality bargains.”
Revive Leeds is a partnership between the charities St Vincent De Paul, which works to alleviate poverty, and SLATE, which supports people with learning disabilities. Profits from the shop will go straight back into their work with local people.
The Kirkstall re-use shop will also provide training, volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities for the local community.
A new one-way system has been introduced on the recycling site to allow better access for cars and reduce queuing on surrounding roads during busy periods, with access from Evanston Avenue, opposite ALDI and McDonalds.
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and sustainability, said:
“Kirkstall Road was already Leeds’ best-used recycling site and this revamp has really raised its game by modernising the layout, making it more accessible and introducing the fantastic concept of Revive Leeds to another area of the city.
“For people in Kirkstall and the surrounding areas it’s now going to be much easier to recycle waste. They’ll also be able to bring pre-loved items to be sold and enjoyed by someone else, while raising funds for a local not for profit organisation, along with finding a great place to bag a bargain!”
The refurbishment of the site also involved creating an operational area, new offices and staff facilities above the re-use shop, landscaping and space for wheeled bin storage.
The operations area has been separated from the public recycling section to allow site staff to change skips while the recycling site continues being used by the public.
Details of opening hours, advice on what you can recycle and other information for all the council’s recycling facilities can be found here.
The recycling centre is a good idea. But it is in Burley not in Kirkstall as you have said.