Keynsham Recycling Hub is a state-of-the-art recycling facility, consolidated five disparate operational sites into a single, optimised and efficient development. The project, delivered for Bath & North East Somerset Council, includes a new public recycling centre, reuse shop, material sorting facilities, vehicle workshops and associated training facilities, offices and welfare provision.

The project redeveloped a modest existing site on the edge of Keynsham to allow these functions to be brought together, improving the sorting and processing of waste, increasing the volume and variety of materials recycled across the district and greatly improving the environmental performance of the Waste Services operations.

SRA worked closely with the end user and a wide group of stakeholders to optimise the layout on this constrained site, maximising operational efficiently. The new recycling hub forms an integral part of the local authority’s response to the Climate and Nature Emergency and incorporates a range of environmental design features such as photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting. The site sits within the Avon valley, and the aspects to the north and east of the site, are particularly sensitive. Development has been focused to the centre of the site, with perimeter landscaping providing screens and important wildlife corridors.

The buildings have bold, simple forms, reflecting their industrial function. A similar palette of materials help to unify the development. They are primarily enclosed with dark grey cladding, with a subtle trapezoidal profile, providing a contemporary yet neutral, recessive finish, intended to reduce the prominence of the buildings within the surrounding landscape. The public facing elevations feature enhanced finishes, including local natural lias stone. Green spandrel and large-scale hypergraphics provide colour relief and emphasise the recycling message. You can read more about this project on our blog.