First look at plans for new £1.65m recycling centre at Sheringham

Plans have been unveiled for a large new recycling centre at Sheringham, intended to replace the current site and serve as a new recycling centre for the area. Norfolk County Council is now asking for people's thoughts on the proposed site location and design.

Councillor Eric Vardy, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, and County Councillor for the Holt division (where the current recycling centre is located), said:

"We want to deliver a new recycling centre with plenty of parking, a one-way system to cut queues, and that has space for a reuse shop.

 "The new and much larger site is designed to make it easier for people to use, help increase recycling rates, and ensure the area has a recycling centre that's fit for the future. I urge residents to look at the plans and have their say."

County councillors allocated £1.65m funding in February 2019 for this part of Norfolk's ongoing recycling centre improvement programme.

The new recycling centre would have:

• a reuse shop
• plenty of parking spaces
• a one-way system for smooth traffic flow and reduced queues
• separate public and service areas (which means it would not need to close for waste collection lorries, as is the case at the current site)
• a 'pay as you throw' section for DIY waste and a trade service for small businesses

The new site would be located on land opposite the existing Sheringham recycling centre and accessed from the A148 Holt Road. A new junction with the A148 is proposed to improve visibility in both directions.

Cllr Judy Oliver, County Councillor for the Sheringham division (where the new recycling centre would be located), said:

"We want to ensure the new site meets people's needs so we're asking people to take a look at the plans and let us know your thoughts.

"This feedback will help to shape the design at this early stage before we take our proposals through the planning process."

The consultation is open from 1 July to 31 July 2022. A drop in event, where residents can discuss the plans with officers from the County Council, will be held at the Holway Road Community Centre in Sheringham on Wednesday 13 July between 2.30 and 6.30pm. Information will also be displayed at Sheringham Library from 1 to 12 July.

Following the consultation, Norfolk County Council hopes to submit the planning application in autumn 2022. If approved, construction is expected to start in summer 2023 and the new site could be open in late 2023 to early 2024.

You can take part in the consultation online.You can take part in the consultation online.

Further information

Fifteen of Norfolk's network of 20 recycling centres now have a reuse shop:

• Ashill
• Bergh Apton
• Caister
• Dereham
• Heacham
• Hempton
• King's Lynn
• Mayton Wood
• Norwich North
• Norwich South
• Snetterton
• Strumpshaw
• Thetford
• Wells-next-the-Sea
• Wereham

Other recycling centre improvements:

• Norwich North Recycling Centre and Norwich South Recycling Centre opened in 2021 and include large, purpose-built reuse shops
• A new recycling centre for Wymondham to replace the existing site, which is very small with a single-track access road. Due to proposed housing growth around Wymondham and Attleborough, we're proposing to build a bigger site that is more accessible
• A new recycling centre for the Long Stratton area, to replace the current site at Morningthorpe
• A new site for the North Walsham area to replace the existing Worstead Recycling Centre, providing a larger, more modern site with reuse facility by 2025