£225k revamp of Llandygai recycling centre in Gwynedd

A £225,000 project to redevelop a Gwynedd recycling centre has been unveiled by council bosses.

The work,  funded through a Welsh Government Circular Economy grant, will  expanding the size of the centre on the Llandygai Industrial Estate to offer residents better recycling opportunities as well as developing a new on site shop for the re-use and upcycling of materials.

To facilitate the work, the authority recently submitted a planning application for demolition work in readiness for the redevelopment.

Cllr Catrin Wager, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Municipal, said: “The recycling centre on the Llanydygai estate is extremely popular and the staff there offer a welcoming service to the residents of Bangor and Dyffryn Ogwen who make use of the site.

“Indeed, since the centre reopened under appointment arrangements after the first lockdown last year, well over 15,000 people have used of the recycling centre. It is therefore very important that we ensure that the centre meets our expectations and is safe for staff and those who visit.

“As part of the £ 225,000 improvements to Bangor’s recycling centre, we will introduce an on-site upcycling shop when it re-opens which will offer us opportunities to work with partners to cut down on the amount of materials thrown away forever. Improvements will also include a new purpose built entrance and exit for the centre.

“Bangor’s recycling centre has been open for some fifteen years now, so it makes sense that we are making improvements to ensure that it meets the needs of today’s residents and that it allows and encourages re-use of items and materials which is an essential component of achieving our vision of a zero waste county in the future.”

Cllr Wager confirmed that to carry out the work, the centre will temporarily need to close from March 8.

She concluded, “We appreciate that this will have a temporary effect on some of the area’s residents and that there will be arrangements to extend the opening hours of the Caernarfon centre during this period, and we believe that the new-look Bangor centre will offer everyone a much-improved resource.”

The council expects that Bangor’s recycling centre will be partially reopened from mid-May, with the site fully reopening by mid-June.

During the period when the improvements are taking place in Bangor, the council has arranged for the Caernarfon Recycling Centre on the Cibyn industrial estate to be open for extended hours, with advance booking times between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday.

Those who wish to visit the Council’s recycling centres need to make an appointment in advance – this can be completed on the Council’s website www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/recycling or by downloading the ‘apGwynedd’ app to a smartphone or tablet device.