Questions have been raised about the delivery of a £50 million recycling plant.
Councillors sought reassurance over the progress of the long-awaited materials recovery facility (MRF) in Eastleigh.
Members of New Forest District Council’s (NFDC) Place and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Panel asked whether the scheme had slipped behind schedule during the meeting on September 10.
Cllr Peter Armstrong asked: “While we’re talking about waste and getting rid of as much as we possibly can, is there any update on the new waste facility, Project Integra, that is being built?”
The independent councillor for Hardley, Holbury and North Blackfield added: “Is there a date, or has that slipped? Where are we with that?”
Read more
Long-awaited dual-carriageway upgrade plans progress after six years
Food waste recycling plans revealed
Council planning to change school catchment areas as families asked to respond
Frustration over delayed £50m recycling centre
Responding, Nicola Plummer, projects and performance manager at NFDC, said the latest timeline provided by Hampshire County Council pointed to implementation in 2028.
She said: “At the moment I don’t have an update on the timeline for that.
“We don’t have an update on where the council is at in terms of being on target. There are further Project Integra meetings due in early October, so we will wait and see what comes of that.”
Following the meeting, Hampshire County Council confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the scheme remains scheduled for completion in mid-2028 and will not be affected by local government reorganisation.
The project centres on building a new MRF in Eastleigh, a joint venture between Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council.
The Eastleigh site, located on Chickenhall Lane, was identified in 2020, with planning permission secured in 2022.
The facility forms part of a wider £50.5 million investment approved by the three authorities in April 2025 to modernise recycling infrastructure across the area.
Once operational, the facility is expected to allow households across Hampshire to recycle a wider range of materials, including paper and cardboard, glass, metals, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, soft plastic film and waxed cartons.
The new facility is expected to open in 2028 if the current timetable is met.
Share