West Suffolk Operational Hub - background
The West Suffolk Operational Hub (WSOH) is a project by West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council (the 'partner councils') to manage your waste by relocating a number of facilities to a single site. This will increase efficiency, save money and future-proof waste management for West Suffolk's growing communities.
Twenty new sites put forward during public consultation in January and February 2016 were investigated by the councils with the result that land at Hollow Road Farm, near Bury St Edmunds, scored the highest on service and financial criteria. This site was selected as the best location for a West Suffolk Operational Hub.
In June 2016 St Edmundsbury Borough Council decided to move forward with the WSOH project and Forest Heath District Council voted to do the same. A planning application to build the hub on land at Hollow Road Farm was approved by St Edmundsbury's Development Control Committee. Suffolk County Council already had the necessary democratic decisions in place as a result of their Energy from Waste project.
The Council and Cabinet reports, Consultation Report, amended Identification and Assessment of Options and Sites (IAPOS) and amended Sustainability Appraisal are available below.
Dear Neighbour Newsletter
Press releases
- Milestone marked on operational hub - press release 11 March 2019
- Morgan Sindall appointed to £23m West Suffolk Operational Hub - Press release 1 June 2018
- West suffolk Operations Hub - press release 5 October 2017
- 3D image of the proposed WSOH
- Briefing document 17 March 2017
- Councils submit planning application for West Suffolk Operational Hub - Press release 16 March 2017
- Councillors set to consider West Suffolk Operational Hub location - press release 7 June 2016
- Give us your views on dealing with West Suffolk's household waste - press release 8 January 2016
- Public Consultation Plan sets out next steps for West Suffolk Operational Hub - press release 18 December 2015
- Forest Heath councillors to look at more West Suffolk Operational Hub consultation - press release 8 September 2015
- St Edmundsbury councillors to consider further consultation on West Suffolk Operational Hub - press release 2 September 2015
- West suffolk Operations Hub - next steps - press release 16 June 2015
Community Liaison Group
A Community Liaison Group was established since December 2015, whose purpose was to encourage open discussion between interested parties (neighbouring businesses, local parish and district councillors) and your councils (West Suffolk and Suffolk County Councils) on the project. Details, including membership, are in the terms of reference: Community Liaison Group terms of reference May 2018
Planning application
View the planning application and supporting documents: DC/17/0521/FUL
Briefing notes and frequently asked questions
Cabinet and full Council reports
- Forest Heath full Council report for meeting Wednesday 29 June 2016
- St Edmundsbury full Council report for meeting Tuesday 28 June 2016
- Forest Heath Cabinet report for meeting 14 June 2016
- St Edmundsbury Cabinet report for meeting 14 June 2016
- St Edmundsbury Cabinet meeting 8 September 2015 - Report on progress of the project
- St Edmundsbury Cabinet meeting 23 June 2015 - Report on progress of the project
Consideration of the business case:
- Suffolk County Council Cabinet meeting 24 February 2015
- Forest Heath Cabinet meeting 17 February 2015
- St Edmundsbury Cabinet meeting 10 February 2015
Consultation Jan-Feb 2016
- Appendix A - Consultation report
- Appendix B part 1 - IAPOS post public consultation report page 1-134 start to Appendix C
- Appendix B part 2 - IAPOS post public consultation report page 135-218 Appendix D-E
- Appendix B part 3 - IAPOS post public consultation report page219-416 Appendix F to end
- Appendix C - Sustainability Appraisal