PLANS to open a new £2.5million household waste recycling facility in Blaenau Gwent could be given the green light next week.

Blaenau Gwent council's proposal to open a second waste management site, at Roseheyworth Business Park in Abertillery, have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

The proposed facility is aimed at improving provision of waste services to residents in the south of the county borough, and at improving the council's recycling rate.

The council has already been fined for missing Welsh Government recycling targets, with its rate at 56 per cent the lowest in Wales.

"It is anticipated that residents in Blaina, Abertillery, Cwmtillery, Six Bells and Llanhilleth would switch to using the proposed household waste facility, reducing the demand and tonnage of the New Vale HWRC (household waste recycling centre) facility by 15 per cent and increasing Blaenau Gwent’s overall recycling rate by an additional one per cent," a planning report says.

"The latter would make a welcome contribution to improving Blaenau Gwent’s recycling performance as the recycling rate needs to significantly increase from 56 per cent in 2017/18 to 64 per cent in 2019/20 in order to meet the Welsh Government’s interim recycling target and, in doing so, avoid substantial fines."

A report estimates the number of households using waste recycling facilities in Blaenau Gwent would increase by 23 per cent due to the opening of the new facility, while fly-tipping could also decrease.

The centre would provide similar facilities to the New Vale HWRC in Ebbw Vale, accepting waste materials such as glass, wood, cardboard, green waste, plastics, electrical goods, paint, plasterboard, textiles, batteries, food waste, paper, carpets, and steel and aluminium cans.

A new access road is proposed as part of the development, with 28 car parking spaces for staff and residents.

It is also planned to upgrade the A467/Roseheyworth Road junction to make it signal controlled.

A nearby business has raised concerns that the development could affect future expansion plans.

But a report also says that some form of expansion would still be possible for the business, with around one third of the developable area lost due to the new recycling centre.

The plans will be decided by the council's planning committee on Thursday, March 7.