Plans unveiled for a new £12m council depot that would ‘future-proof’ services

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are exploring plans to consolidate three aging operational sites into a shared £12 million depot – future-proofing services for residents and improving conditions for their staff.

If councillors approve funding later this month, the next stage of the project will involve developing a more detailed business case and identifying a suitable location for the councils’ 200 shared operational staff and fleet – including waste services, public realm and building services and repairs teams.

The councils’ current main depots, in Stowmarket and Sudbury, (pictured above) are each over 50 years old and not fit for future needs, with significant and increasing costs now required to keep them running. A further depot at Great Wenham is also starting to struggle to meet 21st century operational demands.

According to a report going before councillors, the sites are no longer able to house the staff and vehicles required to service in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s waste fleet was amongst the first in the country to be converted to run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in a move to slash carbon emissions – but further changes are in the pipeline with the implementation of the government’s Resource and Waste Strategy and the global transition towards fully electric vehicles, which the existing sites would struggle to accommodate.

Significant capital investment is required to secure a new depot – with an estimated £12m required to develop a 3.25 hectare (8 acre) site within the districts. This would more than double the councils’ current combined operational capacity – with Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council funding £6m each.

These costs would be offset by the operational savings and income generation that could be delivered from sharing a single depot, estimated to be between £75k to £150k coming back into councils’ coffers each year.

Babergh District Council cabinet member for assets and investment David Busby said: “Our operational teams work hard, but they are constrained by outdated sites that cannot be brought up to the 21st century standards that we need in order to deliver the best possible services to our residents and communities.”

And Mid Suffolk District Council cabinet member for assets and investments Peter Gould added: “We need to invest in our operations if we are serious about delivering the most effective and efficient service to our customers.  These proposals require a significant capital investment, but will also deliver savings as well as providing opportunities for further income generation and collaborative working over time.”

Babergh District Council will consider the plans at its Full Council meeting on Monday 20 February, while Mid Suffolk District Council meets on Thursday 23 February.