Views are being sought for the second phase of proposed improvements to Watford’s waste station.

Hertfordshire County Council wants to redevelop and upgrade the existing Waterdale Transfer Station in Garston - with a public exhibition scheduled for next week.

The new building would have tight noise and odour regulations and will fully enclose existing operations, according to the local authority.

County councillor Eric Buckmaster, cabinet member for the environment, said: “These proposals are one of a number of intended improvements to waste infrastructure in our county.

“As part of our commitment to a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire, we want to reduce unnecessary journeys on our roads and minimise the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

“By redeveloping and upgrading the existing building at the Waterdale Transfer Station, we can manage waste and recycling more effectively, reduce carbon emissions, reduce congestion and provide a more efficient service to residents.”

The council said the changes will enable quicker transfer of waste delivered to Waterdale and an improvement of the flow of vehicles through the site.

It will also alleviate the number of vehicles queuing to get back on the A405.

An exhibition of the proposals will be held on Tuesday, July 4, from 4.30pm to 8pm at All Saints Parish Centre in Garston.

On the same day a consultation form will also be launched online at https://tinyurl.com/4vbpcz5r.  

The new proposals come after plans to construct a new building for shredding waste on the site of the former coach depot in Brookdell Yard were approved in December 2020.

Nearly 50 residents had opposed the application describing it as “inappropriate”, adding they are already dealing with “rotting smells” and noise.

The council had said its proposals were “vital” and would allow for improvements for the transfer station including odour suppression systems and new doors, which it says will help solve smell, noise, and traffic issues.

Permission was granted by the council’s development control committee at a meeting on November 15 last year.

The council says Waterdale is the most important waste facility in Hertfordshire, taking in around 60 per cent of the county’s waste from local authorities.