Work has started on a new waste transfer station in an industrial estate on the southern edge of central Bristol.
The facility in St Philip’s Marsh will be a new addition to the premises occupied by award-winning waste management experts Grundon, who moved to the site in 2019.
The project is the culmination of a planning process which began in 2020, for the erection and operation of a waste transfer station alongside new structures including a trailer shelter, weighbridge and office.
In 2022 the Planning Inspectorate allowed Grundon’s appeal against Bristol City Council’s original refusal of the scheme, and gave the development the green light. Work has recently begun and is expected to be completed early next year.
The Waste Transfer Station (WTS) will see up to 50,000 tonnes per annum of commercial and industrial waste gathered from local businesses and customers and bulked on site.
Between six and eight full time jobs will be created – including transfer station operatives, machine drivers and a weighbridge clerk – adding to the 19 staff that Grundon already employs on the site.
Just over a third of the total site, which is more than four acres in size and currently operates as an HGV depot next to Grundon’s Bristol offices, will be taken up by the new facility.
“This new waste transfer station is an exciting project which is set to offer significant sustainability benefits for the Bristol business community,” said Philip Atkinson, Estates Director at Grundon Waste Management.
“Our increased regional handling capacity will mean improved efficiency and cost for our customers, as well as lower mileage and reduced environmental impact for processing their waste.
“We’ve made significant progress in developing our business in Bristol since we arrived here, and this new facility will further establish our presence in the region.
“We are of course delighted to be investing in the local area and to be creating yet more employment opportunities here.”
In the South West, Grundon operates from its bases in Bristol and Bishop’s Cleeve near Cheltenham. It is also progressing with plans to open a facility for processing hazardous waste, due to open in Avonmouth the near future.
In 2024-25, the business invested £6.5 million in upgrading its vehicles – £2.5 million of which was on electrification following the earlier introduction into Bristol of cutting edge electric waste recycling lorries. Similar numbers are due to be spent on vehicle upgrades in 2025-26.
Earlier this year the company celebrated a series of awards in recognition of its vehicle safety standards and innovation.