Sandy Lane Recycling Centre closure sparks fresh row

LOCAL councillors have launched a fresh attack on Warrington Borough Council’s cost-cutting plans to close the Sandy Lane Community Recycling Centre – warning that residents in South Warrington could be left without a convenient recycling facility.

The Stockton Heath facility is currently scheduled to close on 31 January 2027, despite the fact that a replacement site for South Warrington has yet to be secured.
Local Lib Dem Councillors Judith Wheeler and Sharon Harris are demanding that Sandy Lane remains open until a replacement facility is not only identified, but agreed, funded and ready to open.
They accept that Sandy Lane is far from an ideal location.
The recycling centre sits close to residential properties, access is restricted and queues have regularly caused congestion and disruption on Sandy Lane.
But they argue that closing the facility before an alternative is available simply shifts the problem elsewhere.
Residents would instead have to travel to Gatewarth or Woolston, potentially adding thousands of extra car journeys across Warrington.

Cllr Wheeler said: “We accept that Sandy Lane is not the right location for a modern recycling centre. Residents have experienced traffic, noise and disruption.
“But the answer is to replace it, not closure before an alternative is ready.”
She said the Liberal Democrats were particularly disappointed because a potential site connected with Homes England’s South East Warrington development had previously been discussed.
The councillors believe a new recycling centre should be regarded as essential infrastructure alongside the massive housing expansion planned for South Warrington.
Cllr Harris added: “Infrastructure must come before housing.
“A replacement recycling centre should be agreed, funded and delivered as part of the development, not left until after thousands of homes have been built.”
She warned that closing Sandy Lane without a replacement could result in:

longer journeys for residents;
increased traffic and emissions;
greater pressure on Gatewarth and Woolston;
and a greater risk of fly-tipping.
A closure row stretching back years

The latest controversy is far from the first time Sandy Lane has faced the threat of closure. The centre has been at the heart of a political battle for more than a decade.
Back in 2014, Warrington Borough Council announced plans to close the facility as part of savings measures, with the council estimating it could save around £450,000.
The decision prompted fierce opposition from local councillors and residents, with concerns raised about additional journeys to other recycling centres and the potential impact on congestion and pollution.
The site was then threatened with closure again in 2018. That time the strength of local opposition was underlined by a petition attracting more than 3,000 signatures.
The council eventually backed down, with local Liberal Democrat councillors claiming victory after campaigning against the closure.
The Lib Dems subsequently said they had secured an understanding that Sandy Lane would not close until a replacement facility was available.
Now the battle is back. The issue returned to the council’s agenda as part of its financial savings programme.

In 2025, the council again proposed permanently closing the Stockton Heath facility, describing it as a difficult decision as it attempted to balance its budget.
The latest consultation has again highlighted the fundamental problem facing the council: Sandy Lane is poorly located for a modern recycling centre, but it remains an important facility for people living in the south of the borough.
Warrington currently has three Community Recycling Centres – Sandy Lane in Stockton Heath, Gatewarth and Woolston. The council has a statutory duty to provide household waste recycling facilities, although there is only a legal requirement for a minimum of one facility.
The council itself acknowledges that Sandy Lane’s position in the middle of an established residential area presents an opportunity for an alternative use if it closes.
But campaigners fear that closing the site before a replacement is operational could create a recycling gap in South Warrington.
That concern is particularly significant given the scale of proposed housing development in the south of the borough.
Warrington’s emerging planning documents have already attracted concerns that additional development could place further pressure on local roads and existing infrastructure, including Sandy Lane and Stockton Heath.
The central question now being put to Warrington Borough Council and Homes England is simple: Where will South Warrington residents take their household waste once Sandy Lane closes?
The Liberal Democrats say they will continue pressing both organisations for a confirmed replacement site and a clear delivery timetable.
And with the closure date of 31 January 2027 now approaching, the political pressure is likely to intensify.
The argument from the councillors is blunt: if thousands of new homes are going to be built in South Warrington, the infrastructure to deal with the consequences – including waste and recycling – should be in place before residents move in.
The council’s current Stockton Heath Community Recycling Centre is located on Sandy Lane, WA4 2AY and accepts a wide range of household recyclable materials.