New Forest District Council warns residents in Totton, Lyndhurst and Hythe of possible disruption to waste collection times as new £8m depot opens in Hardley

RESIDENTS in some parts of the New Forest could experience slight changes to their waste collections as operations move to a new £8m depot.

As reported in the A&T, NFDC granted itself permission to build the new waste and services site at Hardley industrial estate, replacing Claymeadow depot in Totton.

The council had originally budgeted to spend £5.5m on the facility, housing new offices, a workshop and storage space, but a final figure of over £8m was later approved, in part due to higher than expected building costs.

The site – which begins operations from Monday – will also be used to store vehicles for refuse and recycling collections, ground maintenance and street cleaning. It will also be a base for pest control and corporate tree teams covering the whole district.

The council is warning residents in Totton, Lyndhurst, Hythe and surrounding areas that while waste collection days will stay the same, crews may arrive at different times of day to usual. Residents are asked not to report missed collections before 5pm the next working day to allow for these possible timing adjustments, and not before 12pm the next working day for garden waste collections.

The council’s cabinet member for environment and sustainability, Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, said: “This new depot represents a major investment in our operational services, ensuring we can continue to provide efficient waste and recycling collections, street cleaning, and open spaces management for the district. It will also provide a modern and comfortable workplace for our hardworking staff.

“This strategic move allows us to improve services while accommodating our growing fleet and operational needs. The larger, more modern facilities at Hardley depot will also support our environmental goals, including reducing emissions and preparing for future recycling initiatives.”