A closure threat hanging over two Hyndburn household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) appears to have been lifted.
A county hall task group has investigated a range of possible options for the future of Lancashire’s network of 23 recycling sites.
The options included shutting HWRCs - including Great Harwood and Whinney Hill, Accrington - in time for the new service contract due in March 2011.
But at Wednesday’s (May 19) LCC sustainable development overview and scrutiny committee, it was agreed that neither of the Hyndburn sites should shut.
Opposition to the closure of the Great Harwood centre, at Alan Ramsbottom Way, was particularly strong with a locally distributed leaflet attracting some 200 replies.
Great Harwood councillor, Peter Clarke said: "As portfolio holder for environmental services and also ward councillor, I had a lot of people lobbying me about the Great Harwood centre. We did at one stage think that Great Harwood would close because it’s within five miles of Whinney Hill.
"They set up a committee to look into this and they went into how much they were used and how much they were costing. It’s good news to find out that this won’t be shut."
The Petre Arms HWRC in Langho, which is five miles from Great Harwood, is among four sites earmarked for closure in the report - along with those at Padiham, Rufford and St Annes.
General objections raised to site closures included a reduction in recycling, increased fly-tipping, and higher CO2 emissions due to longer journeys.
But the report found that Lancashire has the fourth lowest average population catchment in the country with each HWRC serving, on average, under 50,000 residents.
These recommendations will now go to the cabinet member for a final decision next month.
HWRCs recycle small household waste including batteries, oil, rubble and wood. There are five sites across Hyndburn recycling items such as paper, cans, textiles and glass.
