A £1 MILLION recycling centre has been given the green light by Cornwall planners.

The new centre, on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate, Launceston, will serve as a refuse transfer station and a recycling centre.

It will handle up to 40,000 tonnes of waste per year, comprising of waste collected from households and commercial and industrial waste.

The recycling centre will handle up to 10,000 tonnes of recyclable and non-recylable bulky household waste deposited by the public.

The site will incorporate currently unused plots within the industrial estate and will be shielded by banks of established trees and it will replace the current recycling centre at nearby Bangors.

There were no local objections to the application by Sita, the French owned recycling company. The only major concerns expressed were over the increase of heavy traffic at the Pennygillam roundabout and the failure of the application to make provision for a reuse/resale facility.

Cornwall councillor Phil Parsons said that the parish council had worked hard with other local parishes and Launceston Town Council to be proactive in the decision making process.

He said: "We need a recycling centre but I am disappointed that we didn't achieve provision for a footpath but that doesn't mean it won't happen. I will continue working to endeavour to make that happen.

"However, we did manage to persuade the planning committee to include a clause that Sita and Cornwall Council are to facilitate the provision of a re-use facility in close proximity to the site within two years. I look forward to working with Sita to that end, whether it results in a site being run by local community groups or Sita themselves."

To demonstrate his commitment to recycling and particularly a reuse facility, Mr Parsons was accompanied to the meeting by a stuffed dog, Gromit.

He cheerfully explained: "I bought Gromit in the British Heart Foundation shop, but if he had been put in the tip he would have been considered toxic waste and been destroyed. By being recycled he now has another life to look forward to."

He added: "Mind you, Gromit did find the meeting in Truro rather tedious, he much preferred having his photograph taken.

If anyone is interested in putting forward suggestions or contributing ideas for the format of the reuse facilitiy, Cllr Parsons can be contacted on 01566 777179.