The hunt for a place to build a new recycling centre in the north of Wiltshire has begun.
Wiltshire Council is seeking expressions of interest from landowners and developers - and wants to hear from members of the public about their views.
In a shock decision in December, Wiltshire Council's cabinet voted to close to close two recycling centres in the north - at Purton, and Lower Compton near Calne.
Both are on land owned by Swindon-based private operator Hills Waste. The council's other eight recycling centres are on land owned by the authority.
The decision, it said, was being made on cost grounds as it sought to renegotiate a host of expiring waste contracts.
The council refused to say where it was looking for new sites, although during a four-hour debate about the closures, three councillors let slip that Royal Wootton Bassett was the focus of attention.
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The shock closures led to angry protests. Leading councillors had to face the public at an angry meeting in Royal Wootton Bassett, and by the time a second meeting was held in Calne, the council was able to reassure residents that a deal had been struck to temporarily delay the closures for three years past the originally-agreed closure date of August 2026.
Today (Friday) the council said it was looking for a new site of at least an acre and that it was "particularly interested in land in the Royal Wootton Bassett area."
The land needs good road access for heavy goods vehicles and for the estimated 160,000 car journeys each year made by residents to and from the site.
"Current recycling centres operate five days a week, including weekends, with opening hours of 9am to 4pm in summer and 10am to 4pm in winter," said the council.
"Operational activity, however, typically begins at around 7am and finishes around 7pm, seven days a week, depending on planning conditions."
Cllr Ian Thorn, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We recognise the strength of feeling surrounding the future closure of the Purton and Lower Compton Household Recycling Centres, and we want to ensure that residents have the opportunity to suggest alternative sites that may be suitable for a new facility in the north of the county.
"This will complement work already being carried out by officers to identify such sites.
“We encourage residents and landowners to complete the survey as soon as possible and before the deadline of 5pm on Friday, April 24.
"The information provided will help Wiltshire Council assess potential sites and consider every option available before making any final decisions on recycling facilities in the north of Wiltshire.”
The survey can be found at https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/s/tcvwyc
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