BLANDFORD motorists will have to deal with a series of temporary traffic lights when construction gets underway on a new tip next month.

The new waste management centre, located just south of Sunrise Business Park, will feature a modern Household Recycling Centre (HRC, or tip) and a waste transfer barn, where kerbside rubbish and recycling will be collected before processing.

Construction is planned to start on February 3.

This new facility will replace the current site at Blandford Heights Industrial Estate, which Dorset Council said is challenging for some residents to use and can’t keep up with the growing demands of the county’s waste services.

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To ensure safe construction of the new site and its drainage, various traffic management measures will be in place over the next few months:

• Monday 3 to Monday 24 February: Four-way temporary traffic signals at Sunrise Roundabout for site setup, archaeological work, and installation of drainage and electricity ducting.
• Tuesday 25 February to Friday 4 April: Two-way temporary traffic signals on the A350 between Sunrise Roundabout and Hilltop Roundabout to start building the new access road.
• Monday 7 April to Wednesday 30 April: Four-way temporary traffic signals at Hilltop Roundabout for drainage work.
• Thursday 1 May to Monday 9 June: Two-way lights on the A350 between Sunrise Roundabout and Hilltop Roundabout for drainage and access road works.

Once the new access road is finished, construction will move away from the highway and into the site itself, with completion expected by autumn 2026.

You can find more information on the Blandford Waste Management Centre webpage.

Councillor Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for place services, said: “It’s fantastic to see this exciting development get underway.

“Recycling waste is key to our efforts in tackling the climate and nature crisis.

“With our extensive experience, we’ve come up with plans that boost development potential while keeping the impact on the natural environment to a minimum.

“Residents will be getting a brand-new household recycling centre that’s easy to use and highly accessible, making dropping off waste smoother, quicker, and an overall more pleasant experience.

“The new site also allows for better segregation of materials, which will help people reuse more items, as well as recycle as much as they can.

“Our teams will also benefit from the new facility, allowing our waste services to continue growing, leading to more waste being recycled and more efficient use of our funds for kerbside and commercial collections in the future.”