Recycling closure brought forward

CHANDOS Street Recycling Centre in Shaw will close its doors for the last time on Wednesday, September 21 as part of savage budget cuts.

In June, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) agreed to rationalise their Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) by controversially closing four sites — including ones in Prestwich, Heywood and Bolton.

But the closures have been brought forward from the proposed date of October 1.

Despite a 5,100-signature petition, led by councillor Mark Alcock, the Shaw site was axed, leaving Arkwright Street as Oldham’s only recycling centre.

The closures are the first of two phases — the second of which will see the development of a new super site in Salford Road, Over Hulton and subsequently will involve closing two further sites in Salford and Bolton.

Councillor Neil Swannick, chairman of GMWDA, said: “The authority did not want to close any sites, but unfortunately financial savings had to be made.”