TYNWALD will be asked to approve a spend of £1.15 million pounds for the construction of a new civic amenity site in the north of the Island.

The Department of Infrastructure is planning to construct a new site at Balladoole Farm in Lezayre to replace the current amenity site located at the Point of Ayre.

The site at the Point of Ayre has no recycling facilities, is a 14 mile round trip from Ramsey, and is deemed too remote to consider expansion.

More than 40 sites were considered for the new civic amenity site but Balladoole Farm was deemed the most appropriate as it will also be able to house the northern sewage treatment works.

If approved the site will be purpose built and will have a 4,000 metre squared hard standing which comprises of two levels. The upper level will be for used for the public to deposit, recycle and reuse waste. The lower level will be used for operations associated with bulk skips.

John Wrigley, head of waste management at the Department of Infrastructure, said: "The new site needs to be located close enough to encourage use but far enough away not to be a nuisance." He added that the new facility would play a "significant role in recycling and re-using household waste".

The site at Balladoole Farm would be able to deal with the recycling of paper, card, glass, metals, plastic bottles, clothing, waste oils, aggregates (stone, bricks etc), fluorescent tubes, car batteries, household batteries, and electrical items such as TVs, fridge freezers, PC monitors and green waste.

The disposal of bulky residual household waste for treatment at the Energy from Waste facility in Douglas would also be handled.

Graham Cregeen MHK, Political Member for the Operations Division, said: "The proposed development to the site has been designed to accord with best practice and brings it in line with the standards experienced by residents in the west, east and south of the Island.

"It will ensure the re-use and recycling culture is enhanced primarily through the expansion of the site and a re-use building where a wider selection of materials can now be stored for members of the public to put to good use.

"The joint planning of the site with the new northern sewage treatment works shows how joined up government thinking can benefit the public in terms of construction time and disruption and the associated costs.

 
"This new site supports our waste policy and strategy by encouraging the public to reuse and recycle their waste where possible."

If the funding is approved by Tynwald it is hoped that work will start on the site in July ready for the site to be open by April next year. A local firm have been selected to carry out the construction work.

One extra person would be employed if the new civic amenity site is built taking the total number of staff at the site to three.

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