Foxhall Recycling Centre officially opens

The Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston officially opened the new and improved Foxhall Recycling Centre today to herald a new era of reuse and recycling in Ipswich.

Improvements to the site’s layout, access and capacity will make it easier than ever before for Suffolk residents to reuse and recycle their rubbish.

Work on the redevelopment commenced in October 2022 and reopened fully to the public, ahead of schedule, in December 2023. Today marked the site’s official opening.

The new site, designed by Concertus Design and Property Consultants and built by RG Carter, increases capacity for vehicles on site, improves access from Foxhall Road and reduces queuing on the highway.

It also has a new raised level construction, giving better access to containers for users without the need for stairs.

Improvements have also been made to the site’s Re-use shop, which sells furniture, sports equipment, kitchen supplies, books, toys and bric-a-brac collected at Suffolk’s recycling centres and which would otherwise have been disposed of as waste.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston, who officiated at the event and declared the facility to be open, said:

“I’m delighted to have been able to open the new, improved Foxhall Recycling Centre today. As a keen recycler myself, I know the importance of recycling and re-using items to prolong their life. I took great pleasure in visiting the Re-use shop; the Benjamin Foundation do a fantastic job keeping items in circulation and it supports the great charity work they do for young people and families across Suffolk and Norfolk.”

Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Skills, Transport Strategy and Waste, said:

“Moving waste up the hierarchy is one of our main priorities when it comes to managing waste and Foxhall Recycling Centre is designed to do just that. The Re-use shop is at the start of the journey into the recycling centre, prompting site users to see if their items could be used again by someone else. The layout of the new site makes recycling easier for the public and helps to future-proof the recycling service for years to come.”

Steve Longdon, CEO of FCC Environment, said:

“We are delighted to mark the official opening of the Foxhall Recycling Centre today after a swifter build than even we could have imagined. The ability to design and build a new recycling facility such as this, which places what users of the site need at the heart of the design, is a very positive move not just for members of the public, but the new site will enable us to maximise the amount that is reused and recycled making a real environmental contribution by doing the right thing. I am delighted that this site is now open and doing just that.”