Walsall wins national award for Middlemore Lane recycling centre
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Walsall Council has won a national award recognising excellence in recycling and waste management for its £32 million Middlemore Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
The facility was named HWRC of the Year at the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) Celebration Awards 2026, held at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham on 7 October.
Opened to the public in February 2026, Middlemore Lane provides residents with a modern, purpose-built facility where they can recycle a wide range of household materials more easily and responsibly.
The site, operated by SUEZ, has 19 bays with space for 38 skips, helping residents sort and separate different materials. Its layout includes parking on both sides and walkways that allow several people to use a bay at the same time, helping make visits more convenient.
A dedicated Re-Use Shop is also available at the site. The shop sells suitable items that might otherwise be thrown away at low cost, helping residents find affordable goods while keeping usable items in circulation for longer. Residents can donate reusable items at the shop or the Household Waste Recycling Centre, with a further drop-off option available at Fryers Road.
The £32 million project was built on a six-hectare brownfield site, with construction completed on time. Sustainability was built into the development, which includes 1,100 solar panels at the Waste Transfer Station and more than 7,500 trees planted across the site. The facility was constructed by Morgan Sindall, with professional support from AtkinsRéalis and Wardell Armstrong, now part of SLR Consulting.
“ Winning this national award is fantastic recognition for Walsall and everyone involved in delivering Middlemore Lane. We set out to provide residents with a modern facility that makes recycling and responsible waste disposal easier, and it is great to see that work recognised nationally.
“More than 125,000 visits since opening show how important the site has become to residents. Alongside the improved recycling facilities, the Re-Use Shop gives people the chance to pick up affordable items and donate things that others can use, helping reduce waste and support our communities.
“This is a major investment in Walsall’s future. The award is something we can celebrate, and we will continue working to make it easier for residents to recycle, reuse and dispose of household waste responsibly. “
“ Middlemore Lane HWRC is a fantastic, state-of-art facility which stands out due to the way it’s been built around reuse as part of its central offering.
“This award is a celebration of the hard work our teams put in everyday to provide a facility which supports the community in their recycling efforts, generates value from waste in the Re-Use shop, and ensures responsible disposal. “
The LARAC Celebration Awards recognise achievements across the local authority recycling and waste management sector. The annual awards bring together councils and waste professionals from across the UK to celebrate good practice and innovation.
ENDS
