£6m paper recycling centre bringing 50 new jobs to Hartlepool gets go-ahead

Hartlepool Borough Council’s planning committee approved plans by Ward Recycling Ltd, based in Middlesbrough, for a paper recycling waste facility on land adjacent to Windermere Road in the town.

A site visit carried out by the council found a ‘significant amount of work’ had already been undertaken and they were ordered to stop until planning approval was given.

Planning agent Ray Martin-Wells, speaking on behalf of the applicant, apologised for the work taking place and said it was due to a misunderstanding and existing contracts by the business.

He said the site will be a landmark recycling centre both nationally and internationally.

Mr Martin-Wells said: “It will be one of the most high tech paper recycling facilities certainly in the UK if not worldwide.

“This is a brand new piece of equipment which will take waste paper at one end and by the time it gets to the other end it will be sorted into various categories of paper for recycling.

“Ward’s will be investing some £6million in Hartlepool.

“The exciting new project will employ up to 50 people, and these will be new jobs for people in the Hartlepool area.”

The site will operate 20 hours per day 5 days per week and have 80 traffic movements per day, but is not expected to operate on weekends.

The sole purpose of the plant would be to remove packaging board and contaminants from de-ink fibre.

The project is backed with a 10-year contract to supply a firm elsewhere in the country with up to 150,000 tonnes per annum.

Currently the business employs more than 300 people across Teesside.

The work will also include refurbishing the existing brick built offices located on site, and bringing in new electrics, IT, plumbing and more.

Councillors on the planning committee backed the plans and the investment it would bring to the area.

Coun Stephen Akers-Belcher said: “There should be no stalling, it seems to be a very good initiative and a promising business investing in Hartlepool.”

Coun Brenda Loynes said: “It’s exactly what we need in the town, we need more jobs.”

The site was previously used as industrial land and the new frame steel building will take up 5075 sq metres on the site.

No comments or objections had been received by the council ahead of making their decision on the plans.

Nic Marko, Local Democracy Reporting Service