A well-used tip axed under council cuts could be reopened, campaigners have claimed.

The county council is reviewing its provision of tips across the county – with hopes raised in Great Harwood that their local site could be ‘next on the list’ for reopening.

County councillor Gareth Molineux said the authority is trialling a range of tips on a trial basis, and said a new centre could reopen in the town in the near future.

He said: “The county council is in the process of trialling out a couple of different solutions to see if it’s possible to reopen all of them. They are trialling them in Gisburn and Colne to see if they can get them to work and are trying out different models on a temporary basis.“We would definitely find a place for it in Great Harwood. It is my intention until my dying breath to get the centre reopened in Great Harwood.”

The centre was closed in 2012 by the previous Conservative county hall administration, along with three others across Lancashire, to save £520,000 a year.

It left the borough with just one tip at Whinney Hill, Accrington.

Steve Scott, head of waste management at Lancashire County Council, said a working group was considering several options.

He said: “We’re currently in the process of reviewing our provision of Household Waste Recycling Centres. One of the things the group is looking at is where there may be gaps in our current provision and how these could be met within a reduced budget.”

Coun Ian Robinson, Independent for Great Harwood, backed the calls for the town’s tip to re-open.

He said: “It is needed and wanted in Great Harwood. More cars are now travelling through Clayton-le-Moors to Whinney Hill, which causes traffic and pollution problems.

“There are also horrendous flytipping problems as people aren’t prepared to drive 20 minutes to the tip.”But he warned: “It will cost a lot of money to reopen any tip anywhere.”

Resident John Duckworth, of the town’s regeneration group, was also in favour.He said: “It would be great news if something was actually to happen

.“I doubt it would be like it was before, but if there was somewhere to take your recycling locally then it would be better than driving to Clitheroe or Whinney Hill.”