Town facing loss of its recycling centre

As reported in the Daily Echo, the facility at Panorama Road, on a former landfill site, faces closure at the end of next year when the area is returned to nature.

The plan has worried locals, who would face a 20-mile round trip to Wareham to recycle.

Tory town councillor Steven Poultney, Cherry Bartlett, chairman of Swanage Labour Party and Peter Clark, Liberal Democrat secretary, have joined forces to encourage residents to lobby the county council to keep a facility open in the town.

Dorset County Council says it is talking to both Swanage Town Council and Purbeck District Council about a future household recycling centre in the seaside resort.

In a joint statement, the trio said: "We are in grave danger in Swanage of losing our Household Recycling Centre in December 2009 unless local residents act now.

"Concerned local people, and that means almost everyone, know that this would be an environmental disaster.

"In short, it will mean less recycling, more fly tipping and a major increase in carbon footprint due to tens of thousands of extra journeys to the Wareham recycling site on the Bere Regis road."

They say they are sceptical about the county council's talks with the town and district authorities, adding, "it is clear that they already know what they want to do - close our site and save money".

The district council has said that it wants a site that is part of the industrial estate at Prospect Farm in Victoria Avenue to be used.

Senior county councillors will consider a report on the issue in the autumn.

The county's cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Hilary Cox, said: "We are working hard with the other councils to try to find an appropriate and affordable solution for Swanage, including a new household recycling centre in the town."

The Panorama Road site deals with 2,800 tonnes of waste a year and an estimated 48,500 visits.

Write to the county council at County Hall, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ or visit dorsetforyou.com.