Around 12,000 more Lincolnshire residents will soon find themselves within a seven-mile radius of a household waste recycling centre (HWRC), as the county council's planning application for a brand new site in Market Rasen was passed this week.

Lincolnshire County Council already oversees twelve centres across the county and receives 360,000 tonnes of household waste a year – which would form a pile bigger than Lincoln Cathedral.

The Planning and Regulation Committee has now authorised the construction of a new centre on Market Rasen's Gallamore Lane Industrial Estate.

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Residents will be able to take up to 35 types of waste for recycling, further minimising waste going to landfill ahead of an increase in landfill tax and multi-million pound EU fines for excess landfill levels.

Sean Kent, Head of Environmental Management at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "This new site forms part of our efforts to promote recycling rates and reduce landfill to meet new UK and European legislation. Lincolnshire is already well-known for having one of the best recycling rates in the country but we want to continue leading by example. Adding another recycling centre will help Market Rasen and Lincolnshire as a whole continue its excellent service."

The site is expected to provide employment for approximately six full-time staff, with extensive opening hours including weekends and bank holidays. Although the detailed design work stage has not yet been reached, early estimates of the cost to construct the facility are around £1m.

Construction is expected to begin by early autumn with a completion by early summer 2010.

(CD/BMcc)