A RECYCLING centre for household waste could be built in Dunmow, if Essex County Council gets its way. The proposal is to locate the facility on land to the south east of the town centre, behind the Ambulance Centre on Chelmsford Road. Owen Wilson, town c

A RECYCLING centre for household waste could be built in Dunmow, if Essex County Council gets its way.

The proposal is to locate the facility on land to the south east of the town centre, behind the Ambulance Centre on Chelmsford Road.

Owen Wilson, town clerk, said: "Getting a recycling facility in the town has been an on-going issue for around 20 years. We are possibly the only town in the county without such a provision. At the moment the nearest place people in Dunmow can go to recycle their household waste is Bishop's Stortford, or in Uttlesford, Saffron Walden."

If the plans get the go-ahead, the 1.7 hectare (4.2 acre) site will house the recycling centre including separate containers for scrap metal, wood, garden waste, hardcore, paper, glass and cans; a refuse collection vehicle park; and a waste bulking / transfer station.

An ECC spokesman said: "The nature of the operation of the recycling centre means that waste is not on site long enough to create an odour problem and regular road sweeping will keep dust down to a minimum. Any litter that leaves the site will be collected as soon as practically possible. No waste will be treated at the site."

ECC estimates a large number of vehicles coming to the centre, and says it will attract 250 cars and up to 24 HGV collection lorries per day. On top of this 50 refuse lorries will also visit the site on a daily basis.

Mr Wilson expressed the concerns the council had about the increase in traffic in that area of the town. "We would like to see the county council address the issues of the increase in traffic in that area of town. There has recently been a lot of development around the site with the building of the Travelodge, the ambulance station and the on-going construction of the new police station and this will put an additional strain on things, especially on the Chelmsford Road junction."

The ECC spokesman added: "As a result of this and other nearby developments, improvements to the highway will be made."

Refuse collection vehicles will deliver waste to the site where the rubbish will be transferred to larger vehicles which will then take it to the treatment facilities. This will take place in a purpose-built building measuring 60 m by 80m and seven metres high.

"This is not an unusual size of building for a facility of this type," said Mr Wilson. "We have been assured that landscaping of the area will be done to keep the visual impact of the facility down to a minimum.

There will be a presentation of the proposals at a public meeting of the East Area Panel on April 26 at 7.30pm to be held at Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow.