NEWTON Abbot’s tip is to get an upgrade which could see it handling waste for councils further afield.

Teignbridge Council has decided to go ahead with an upgrade to its waste transfer station in Brunel Road, even though a forthcoming shake-up of local councils could mean a whole new waste strategy for Devon.

However, new regulations from the Environment Agency (EA) mean the upgrade must be carried out now if the tip is to stay on the right side of the law.

‘We haven’t got time to sit on our hands,’ the council’s head of environment services Chris Braines told members.

‘If we do that, the facility will close.’

The cost of the upgrade has not been made public, and the financial details were discussed during a section of the full council meeting with press and public excluded.

However, it will include improved drainage and improved fire safety, with an eye towards more than 9,000 new homes being built across Teignbridge by 2034.

Specific improvements include new covered sheds with fire segregation, a sealed drainage system, upgraded sorting areas for cartons and plastic film, and the potential installation of solar panels.

A report for the council said delaying the work posed significant risks.

Cllr Peter Williams (Lib Dem, Teignmouth East), the council’s executive member for environmental services, said the Brunel Road depot handled 16,000 tonnes of waste every year, and the changes are needed in order to qualify for an EA permit.

‘This project is essential to ensure that we can continue to deliver efficient recycling collections to all households in the district,’ he said.

‘The timescales are challenging, and require prompt action.’

However, Cllr Phil Bullivant (Con, Bradley) said that Devon was two years away from a complete restructure of its councils, and the way the county handled its waste could change as a result.

‘Are we wise to be investing a significant amount of money to bring this facility up to speed when potentially we should be considering the bigger picture and putting a waste transfer station somewhere in the district that serves all areas?’ he asked.

But Cllr Rosie Dawson (Lib Dem, Dawlish North East) said keeping the facility in Newton Abbot would protect local jobs, and the council’s managing director Phil Shears pointed out that when the county’s services were reorganised, it would be simpler for Torquay’s waste to be brought to Brunel Road than it is to transport it across Torbay to the current Paignton tip at busy times.

‘This might be a good thing for us,’ he said.

‘It’s a benefit, and an opportunity to retain employment in Teignbridge for the longer term.’

The aim is for the project to be completed by February 2027.