MID Devon District Council has outlined initial plans for a remodelling of its waste depot site that could cost around £1.7 million.

A host of changes are being planned for the Willand waste depot to meet new requirements being mandated by the Environment Agency.

The changes should also mean that the council can also increase its recycling rate and potentially recycle a larger variety of items.

It is hoped the prospective financial outlay, which includes a £100,000 contingency pot, will future-proof the site for at least 15 years.

“We need to meet the new requirements, which mean significant changes to the waste depot, notably that some waste and recycling will be required to be stored securely, under cover, with fire protection,” said Councillor Josh Wright (Lib Dem, Silverton).

“We must make sure the depot has capacity and space to ensure the service is legally compliant, and so we are looking to reconfigure the site, expand some buildings and add new ones for materials, to enable the council to sustain its excellent performance, which puts it in the top five per cent of councils nationally.”

Cabinet members heard that the existing recycling transfer station would be extended to accommodate more bales of waste or recycling, while a new building would be created to accommodate two additional storage bays and the waste electrical and electronic equipment skip and battery storage, again with fire protection and water management.

The extension requires planning approval, and Cllr Wright said this was being sought by the site’s landlord, who would retain ownership if the lease was ever not renewed. The new building is being built by the council.

Costs could be reduced if the existing modular offices on the site can be moved and still used, but there is a possibility the council might need to spend £250,000 on new modular officers which would have a longer lifespan.

Among the other changes will be a new weighbridge and new fuel station for the council’s waste and recycling trucks.

It also hoped that the rejig, which will also include altering how the site is accessed and exited, will mean it can bring a bin store, currently within a separate unit on the business park, onto the main site and therefore reduce its annual rent costs.

Councillors heard a report would be brought back to cabinet in September for any further decisions that are required, and that the relevant extra or additional permits the site will need would be applied for after that.

Mid Devon announced earlier this year it planned to run a three-month trial to recycle nappies and other sanitary products and turn them into road surfacing. The trial covered around 150-200 properties, but the results of it have not yet been announced.

The cabinet heard there should be no impact on the waste and recycling collection service while the works at the depot are undertaken, because distinct pieces of the work can be conducted within individual parts of the site without disrupting the overall operations.