PLANS for a £3 million council waste transfer depot near Slimbridge have been on display in the village.

The centre will be built on the site of the disused Gossington Truck Stop, subject to planning permission being granted, and could be open by early 2017.

It is seeking to build its own centre ahead of the ending of the council’s existing £3.4 million contract for waste and recycling next summer.

The new centre would be owned by Stroud District Council but would be operated by UBICO who will take over as the council’s contractor for waste and recycling collections.

Cllr Haydn Jones attended the consultation and said that the council-run site would be better than many of the alternatives.

“The council are good owners for the site,” he said. “As long as the district council continues to involve the community in the process they are better than a lot of the alternatives.

“People have raised concerns to me, particularly to do with noise, smell and crime, but the good thing about the council running the site is that the council can be held to account - it’s in their interest to make sure it is run properly.”

The application was submitted by Stroud District Council in early August after the site was purchased by the council outright in July for £680,000. A budget of £2.4 million has been set aside for required works at the former truck stop.

A spokesman for Stroud District Council said: “We will of course work closely with UBICO to minimise any disruption for residents and are keen to be considered a good neighbour to the community.

“We are designing the facility in a way that will either remove or minimise any smells and noise emitted from the site and aim to ensure that it is recognised as being well managed.”

If planning permission is granted for the depot then it is expected that work on the site will start in early 2016.

Slimbridge Parish Council was informed of the district council’s intentions for the site earlier this year and as a result of the discussions the public consultation held last week was agreed.

Following a discussion with Slimbridge Parish Council a public consultation was agreed and held last week (August 26).