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New depot helps secure the future of waste collections

Published Wednesday 26 March 2025

A new vehicle depot at the Haseley Trading Estate will significantly contribute towards South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils long-term future of successful waste collections in the districts.    

The councils are working on securing a long-term vehicle depot at former Haseley Trading Estate (the former Ariens/Countax site) in South Oxfordshire, for their waste collection and street cleansing service’s vehicle fleet.   

The new site would be used as a depot for parking waste and recycling collection vehicles, street cleansing and maintenance vehicles and where members of staff would operate from. The proposed depot would not be used to store or dispose of waste or operate as a waste transfer station. 

The current vehicle depot is located in Culham and includes recycling and waste collection vehicles, street cleansing and maintenance vehicles, alongside staff facilities. Longer term, the Culham site is due for redevelopment for new homes and is identified in the Local Plan.    

The existing services contract and occupation of the Culham depot expire in 2026, so amongst other work, this has meant a requirement for a new location that meets the vital need to provide important statutory waste collection services.    

The current plan is to redevelop and retain one of the existing buildings and make improvements to the site, such as potentially adding solar panels on the existing building, improving the screening from the road with planting and carefully managing the adjoining woodland.    

Public drop-in event

The councils are holding a drop-in event for local people on 28 April at Little Milton Village Hall between 3pm and 7.30pm. There is no need to book ahead, people can just drop by and chat to the project team about the future plans for the site.  

Further information is available at www.southandvale.gov.uk/HaseleyTradingEstate

Andrew Busby, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council’s Head of Development and Corporate Landlord, said: “Every day, our bin crews empty thousands of waste and recycling bins and a street cleansing crews maintain the cleanliness of both districts. These are vital and valued services which support residents, businesses and visitors. 

“Securing the Haseley Trading Estate site for our future vehicle depot is a crucial piece of the puzzle for ensuring the longer-term future of our successful waste service, alongside procuring a new waste collection and street cleansing contract as our current contract with Biffa ends in 2026.  

“I’d like to reassure anyone local to the site we intend to be good neighbours. We are working on improvements to the site itself, including better management of the surrounding woodland. The site is purely for vehicles – not for waste, which will be processed at an existing waste transfer site elsewhere. We’ll also be reviewing our vehicle movements to keep the impact on the surrounding areas as minimal as possible.  

“Please do come along to our drop-in event on Monday 28 April at Little Milton Village Hall if you’d like to find out more and ask any questions.”  

The public event is ahead of a planning application for the site which will be submitted in May and where there will be an opportunity for people to view plans and comment as part of the planning process.   

Subject to planning approval, the new depot would operate from the summer of 2026. 

Andrew Busby, added: “If people would like to find out more, we will shortly have more information and an FAQ on our webpage, as well as offering the drop-in event in April. We’ll also provide a link to a virtual exhibition for anyone unable to make the event. This is all ahead of the site’s planning application in May, which will be an opportunity for people to engage as part of the planning process.”