Gloucester's tip looks set to be closed for at least two months as part of a £1.3million refurbishment project.

Civic bosses plan to shut Hempsted HRC (Household Recycling Centre) from mid-January so "vital improvement works" can take place.

It will include the installation of a new eco-friendly waste compaction system, "urgent" repair to public areas and construction of a cover for some skips.

Gloucestershire County Council set aside funds earlier this year to revamp the site, which sits off Hempsted Lane, on land long-leased from the neighboring Enovert South composting facility.

Operational since the 1990s, it is now run by the council's not-for-profit company Ubico . It was last upgraded between 2017-19.

A survey in May 2022, found the central area, where HGVs drop off and collect skips, was "very worn" and in need of urgent repair or replacement. It also found retaining walls where waste skips are accessed by the public were in poor condition with areas of exposed re-enforced steel and holes.

Customers have also complained for years that the "excessive height" of some skips means they "struggle" to access them.

The council now plans to spend circa £1m to finally deal with these issues.

Work will include resurfacing of the public tarmac area, installation of a canopy to protect certain skips from the element, installation of self-contained fire control system, installation of electric charging points for Ubico vehicles, the purchase of a second-hand 32 tonne hook lift HGV for moving waste skips around the site.

A contractor will be appointed for all capital works in excess of £150,000, including design work, planning permission submissions and building works.

The current carbon-fueled mobile waste compaction equipment will also be replaced. It was installed almost seven years ago and the council said it has become "unreliable and "costly to service maintain".

It plans to spend £300,000 switching back to a static waste compaction system, powered by 100% renewable electricity. It said this will be more efficient, improve access for the public, especially elderly customers, and reduce the need for a dedicated mobile compaction equipment driver for much of the working day.

A procurement process will be carried out to find a firm to supply, deliver, install and maintain the equipment. The five-year contract will include an option, subject to funding, to supply similar waste compaction equipment and related services at other council HRCs. The mobile compaction equipment will remain as a back-up system.

The council approved £1.3 million of capital funding for the refurbishment as part of its Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-26. Existing revenue budgets will cover the ongoing servicing and maintenance of the new equipment.

Cllr Martin Horwood, cabinet member for nature, climate and waste reduction, has signed off the improvement plans and they will go ahead if not called-in by other councillors for debate before Friday (Oct 10).

The council also wants to construct a salvage shop at the site to help save more items from landfill.

It first submitted plans for the one-storey building in August 2024 but they were later withdrawn.

A fresh application was submitted in July 2025 for a pre-fabricated building with 10 parking bays.

A statement submitted as part of the plans said: "Reuse shops are an important facility at HRCs around the country, and it is recognised that more can be done to facilitate reuse in Gloucestershire.

"This proposal would provide both indoor and outdoor collection and retail space, along with a safety and functionality test facility for electrical items prior to sale. This will enable the reuse of a wider range of items."

The shop would be operated by Ubico staff and will be accessible to anyone visiting the HRC during standard site opening hours, six days a week.

Gloucester City Council was asked to comment on the plans and said the design was "acceptable" but the county council needed to consider certain environmental health guidelines due to it being a contaminated land site.

A decision on the shop plan is expected by October 24.