THE COUNCIL has announced it will be closing the recycling site at Chineham Shopping Centre next week.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is closing the site after the owners of the shopping centre have requested the recycling banks, which include clothing and textiles, paper, card, glass and waste electronic and electrical items, are removed.

The borough council’s waste and recycling team has already started work to find a replacement location for the site and is supporting the charities with clothing banks to find alternative arrangements until this is in place.

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The site will be closed from Monday next week.

Cabinet member for recycling, waste and regulatory services Cllr Hayley Eachus, said: “We are disappointed and apologise for the inconvenience this may cause those people who use this site to recycle responsibly. I would like to reassure residents that we are exploring options for a replacement recycling site. In the meantime, we are working with the charities to support relocating their banks while this work takes place.

“Residents can recycle paper, card and glass at home for collection by our recycling crews. There are also additional recycling sites in the borough which can be found on our website www.basingstoke.gov.uk/recycling-sites. Cardboard can also be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Wade Road, run by Hampshire County Council.

“We will provide further updates on our website, email newsletter and social media channels when we have them.”

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The borough council previously took the decision to close 26 recycling sites in the borough last year in response to incidents of fly-tipping, vandalism and antisocial behaviour at many of them.

The Chineham Shopping Centre recycling site had been identified as one of the six council-run sites that would remain in place, alongside other private sites in the borough.

Visit basingstoke.gov.uk/recycling-sites for updates and information on other recycling sites in the borough.

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