The Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) at Nab Lane was permanently shut last year, with the shock move announced by Kirklees Council in August. It came in a bid to save the local authority some cash. The tip was said to be the least-used in the whole of Kirklees and in need of a £7m investment.
Councillors from across the political spectrum have continued to voice serious concerns that the move has exacerbated the problem of fly-tipping, and has placed a strain on Dewsbury’s Weaving Lane HWRC, among others, since the closure came into force. One of whom, Cllr Josh Sheard (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) has been vocal since the plans were first announced.
Councillor Sheard says there is a need for the tip to reopen, with about 20,000 visits made in 2022/23. That same year, tip operator Suez applied to extend the opening hours at Nab Lane, with it identified as a “key site” to help deliver the local authority’s waste management strategy.
Between 22/23 and 23/24, the number of tonnes of waste collected rose by 271 – nearly 10 per cent – showing “clear demand” for the site, the councillor added, leaving him questioning why the tip was closed for a lack of usage if demand was increasing. Now, he says an FOI request has revealed that the local authority has made around one third of the savings it projected for this point in time – £19.2k against £61.8k.
The councillor has called for cross-board talks to find a solution to reopen the tip but this was shut down by Leader of the Council, Cllr Carole Pattison, at the latest full council meeting. She said that she thought the chances of a regional agreement being reached to re-open the Nab Lane site were “absolutely zilch”.
Councillor Sheard has since said: “They’ve messed this up from every angle – cost, planning, comms, and community impact. Still no serious engagement with the idea of regional cooperation.
“I’ve engaged in my own talks with the Combined Authority and am scheduled to speak to the caseworkers responsible for waste and environment in the Combined Authority. I have already spoken to one caseworker in the mayor’s office and it was a positive discussion. We need cross-boarder collaboration to get Nab Lane tip reopened.”
When asked how the council justifies the closure of the tip given the above information, Cllr Tyler Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste said: “The closure of Nab Lane HWRC in 2024 was part of the council’s broader strategy to consolidate services into fewer, safer, and more modern facilities. While short-term savings were slightly below projections, the closure avoided significant capital costs and is expected to deliver greater long-term financial benefits.
“The site did not meet WRAP or HSE safety standards and posed operational risks. Keeping it open could have deterred future waste service providers during the upcoming procurement process.
“Since the closure, demand has been effectively managed, with 600 fewer tonnes of waste received at the Weaving Lane site than expected and minimal fly-tipping incidents reported locally. The council continues to monitor fly-tipping across the district to protect our communities.”