Recycling to move to Woolbrook?

MORE than �1million has earmarked to provide Sidmouth residents with a new "state of the art" recycling centre according to the town's county councillor.

Doubt has been cast over the future of Woods Farm Recycling Centre near Tipton St John this week, but Cllr Stuart Hughes told the Herald that �1.3 million from Devon County Council's capital budget will be put aside by 2012 to fulfil the refuse needs of local communities and he has identified a suitable site for a new facility.

Cllr Hughes wants to see land adjacent to Woolbrook Road on the A3052, which he said is being considered as a home for a park and ride with parking for 500 cars, also used for a new recycling centre.

Planning permission for Woods Farm expires in 2012 and it is "not deemed suitable to cope with increasing volumes of recyclable material" by the county council.

A DCC spokesman said no decision has been made over closing the facility, which the Herald understands has been earmarked by East Devon District Council as a possible site to home travellers and gypsies.

Cllr Hughes said: "The closure of Woods Farm is news to me. As far as I am aware options to extend its planning permission and consider making it larger were being explored. In my opinion we shouldn't be going down that road.

"We have been working hard to establish another site for a state-of- the-art state of the art facility- like the one in Bideford which is a wonderful experience.

"Its been proposed they look at putting one at the sewage treatment works near Sidford- for me this is the wrong location and would create far too much traffic for that area.

"My preferred site is near Woolbrook, there is enough room for both a recycling centre and park and ride.

"I'm delighted money is in the forward capital programme, at long last we are going to get a state of the art recycling centre. You can't do that with Woods Farm without going into the woods there and affecting the footpaths. We are working towards providing a better service.