Recycling site re-opens with new reuse shop after £5.2m revamp

Leeds’ biggest and busiest recycling site re-opens in Kirkstall today (March 6) with a brand new re-use shop as part of a £5.2m revamp of its services.

It is expected that the reconfiguration of the site will increase recycling opportunities for customers, not only protecting the environment but also saving the city in landfill fees.

Residents will be able to recycle a wide range of waste and bring re-usable items to the new shop on the Kirkstall Road site, which has a new split-level recycling area with 16 bays.

A new one-way system has also been introduced to allow better access for cars and reduce queuing on surrounding roads during busy periods, with access from Evanston Avenue, opposite ALDI and McDonald’s.

Meanwhile, residents and local businesses will also be able to donate re-usable items such as furniture, working electrical items, clothing, bikes, toys, books, CDs and bric-a-brac direct to the new Revive Leeds re-use shop.

The purpose-built 360 sq metre shop is run by the same people who manage the successful and very popular Revive Leeds shop at the council’s Seacroft recycling site. It has its own dedicated car park and is also accessible on foot from Evanston Avenue.

Revive Leeds is a partnership between the charities St Vincent De Paul, which works to alleviate poverty, and SLATE, which supports people with learning disabilities. Profits from the shop will go straight back into their work with local people. The Kirkstall re-use shop will also provide training, volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities for the local community.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and sustainability, said:

“Kirkstall Road was already Leeds’ best-used recycling site and this revamp has really raised its game by modernising the layout, making it more accessible and introducing the fantastic concept of Revive Leeds to another area of the city.

“For people in Kirkstall and the surrounding areas it’s now going to be much easier to recycle waste. They’ll also be able to bring pre-loved items to be sold and enjoyed by someone else, while raising funds for a local not for profit organisation, along with finding a great place to bag a bargain!”

Louise Megson of Revive Leeds said,

“This is an exciting opportunity for Revive Leeds to expand its successful re-use operation in Seacroft. We work closely with the local community and really hope that we will be made welcome by the residents of West Leeds through donations, volunteering and coming to the shop to buy some quality bargains. Come down and meet the team.”

The refurbishment of the site also involved creating an operational area, new offices and staff facilities above the re-use shop, landscaping and space for wheeled bin storage. The operations area has been separated from the public recycling section to allow site staff to change skips while the recycling site continues being used by the public.

The use of solar panels on the shop and office building has also helped to reduce the site’s carbon footprint. Details of opening hours, advice on what you can recycle and other information for all the council’s recycling facilities can be found at http://www.leeds.gov.uk/RecyclingSites

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