Plans unveiled for new £6m recycling centre in Bicester
The proposed facility would replace the Ardley recycling centre by 2030
Plans have been unveiled for a new £6 million household waste recycling centre in Bicester.
Oxfordshire County Council wants to build the facility next to the Bicester Park and Ride site, replacing the existing recycling centre at Ardley.
The new centre could open by 2030, subject to public consultation and planning permission.
Planning permission for the Ardley site is due to expire on 30 December 2026.
The council is also seeking to extend permission for the existing facility until March 2031.
Councillor Laura Gordon, the council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, said: "Ardley HWRC is more than 40 years old and no longer meets the standards expected of a modern recycling centre.
"With the lease due to expire, we have an opportunity to plan a new facility, closer to population centres in Bicester and Kidlington and accessible from major roads.
"As well as providing up-to-date recycling facilities, the new centre will be home to a new re-use facility – something residents have been requesting for a long time."
The proposed site would be accessed via a new junction off Vendee Drive and would include a reuse shop selling suitable unwanted items.
The wider project is also designed to deliver a 20% biodiversity net gain, with new habitats maintained over the longer term.
Residents will have the chance to have their say on the proposals before a planning application is submitted.
Councillor Gordon added: "A programme of public consultation will support the planning application, and we will keep people informed as the scheme progresses."
Oxfordshire County Council currently operates seven household waste recycling centres across the county and says the new facility would maintain that level of service.