A HUGE new recycling centre for commercial waste in Hampshire has controversially been given the green light by the county council.

The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) will be built on Hounsdown Business Park in Totton despite objections from councils, businesses and residents.

Work will now begin on the £15m scheme, which is set to create 80 jobs as well as giving the county’s recycling campaign a major boost when it opens this spring.

The development comes as the British recycling industry this week became the latest victim of the economic crisis.

A fall in value of recyclable materials has led to a build-up of waste paper in the UK.

But SCA Recycling, the Swedish company behind the Totton plant, said it was bucking the national trend and not stockpiling.

A spokesman said the new MRF would slash the amount of recyclable materials sent to landfill in Hampshire.

The new complex will receive 200,000 tonnes of recyclables a year – 43,000 more than the total processed by two similar centres already operating in the county.

The existing MRFs, in Alton and Portsmouth, handle domestic recyclables whereas Totton will process commercial, industrial and consumer materials.

The amount of recyclables taken to MRFs – specialist plants that receive, separate and prepare recyclable materials – in Hampshire will soar from 157,000 tonnes a year to 357,000 tonnes.

But SCA’s planning application received nine objections over concerns about increased lorry traffic and the impact on noise and air quality.

New Forest District Council said the benefits would be outweighed by the harm to the local economy.

It argued the introduction of a large recycling facility would reduce the attractiveness of Hounsdown Business Park for higher value employment uses.

While Totton and Eling Town Council warned more lorries would have a negative impact on traffic and air quality.

It was estimated the plant would result in an extra 244 HGV trips per day, however the highway authority was satisfied nearby junctions could cope with the increase.

Totton and Marchwood county councillor David Harrison said: “I’m very supportive of this facility, but not at this location. There has been a massive increase in HGV movements in the area in recent years causing a great deal of nuisance and serious sleep disturbance.”

Five neighbouring businesses also objected on the grounds of increased traffic and potential rubbish, noise and odour.

Fit-out of an existing 124,000 sq ft industrial building will start shortly. Handling of waste paper will start in spring 2009, followed in the summer by plastics and metal.

SCA Recycling UK managing director Ken Stevens said: “We are delighted that planning has been granted and look forward to building a much needed facility.”