You can have your say by filling in our questionnaire by the closing date on 23 July 2026.
Take part in the consultation
Paper copies are available:
Completed paper copies can either be posted back to the Freepost address on the survey or dropped off at any of our libraries.
We've received some questions about the proposals. You don't need to read the following information to take part in the consultation but it may help to answer any questions you may have.
No final decisions have been made about the future of Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre and all responses to the consultation will be taken into account before any decision is made.
Reasons for the proposal
We're experiencing financial challenges and must cut costs. All services have put forward proposals for saving money. This doesn't mean that any one proposal will be taken forward, but it's important that we consider all options.
Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre is being considered for closure primarily because it would save £360,000 a year. In addition:
- it collects the lowest volume of waste and recyclables – 3,800 tonnes per year – compared to our other 8 household waste recycling centres (the total amount collected across all sites per year is around 70,000 tonnes)
- it receives the least amount of visits – 65,700 a year compared to more than a million across all 9 sites
- it needs substantial investment to make sure it continues to comply with safety regulations if it is to remain open
- most users visit the site infrequently with around 62% of all vehicles recorded over a 12-month period making a single visit and a further 25% visiting just 2 or 3 times
- many users live outside Derbyshire – 13% of visits are from vehicles which have been registered to use the site. As users must live in Derbyshire to register, this – together with Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras at the site – suggests a significant proportion of users could be travelling to the site from outside the county and do not pay Council Tax here
The following information gives more detail about these reasons.
Current low usage
The following table shows that Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre has the lowest number of visits per year and collects the lowest volume of waste out of all of the 9 household waste recycling centres in Derbyshire.
Table showing annual site visits and tonnages
| Centre | Annual visits | Annual tonnage |
|---|
| Ashbourne |
100,810 |
5,076.27 |
| Bolsover |
171,940 |
9,390.67 |
| Bretby |
102,030 |
5,818.12 |
| Chesterfield |
204,030 |
10,934.94 |
| Glossop |
65,730 |
3,826.52 |
| Ilkeston |
157,960 |
9,330.81 |
| Loscoe |
195,410 |
11,638.57 |
| Northwood |
137,550 |
5,484.76 |
| Waterswallows |
No data |
8,247.04 |
Users from outside Derbyshire
Our household waste recycling centres are funded by Derbyshire Council Tax payers and are provided for use by Derbyshire and Derby residents only. But we estimate that around 7 out of every 10 people who currently use Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre don't live in Derby or Derbyshire.
This estimate is based on Automatic Number Plate Recognition data gathered from 8 of our 9 recycling centres (Waterswallows near Buxton is operated under a separate contract), covering the 12 months up to 31 December 2025.
We used data for the number of vehicles registered to use our recycling centre at Northwood, near Darley Dale, as a proportion of all of the vehicles visiting the site. This gave us a baseline for registration uptake. Of all our recycling centres, Northwood has the most central location. That means it's the site least likely to be used by people living outside the county (except Derby City Council residents who are allowed to use our recycling centres).
If we compare the level of registration at Northwood (43.96%) to registration levels at Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre (12.85%) and assume the proportion of Derbyshire residents registered is broadly consistent across the county, it suggests that approximately 7 out of every 10 users of the Glossop site are not Derbyshire residents.
This estimate is consistent with the experience of staff on site and of contract managers where visitors have been asked to provide proof of address.
This analysis was updated using data up to 9 March 2026 and found similar results with approximately 6 out of every 10 users likely to be non‑Derbyshire residents. These are estimates, but they are based on high‑quality data and reasonable assumptions. Exact figures will only be known once all Derbyshire residents have registered, and we continue to encourage users to do so to help prevent our sites from being used by people who live outside Derbyshire.
Cutting costs to make savings
As shown in the 'Budget savings proposals 2026/2027 to 2030/2031 and update to the council's medium-term financial plan', which was presented to Cabinet on 12 January 2026 and the Resources Scrutiny Committee on 14 January 2026, closing Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre would save £120,000 in the first year, rising to £360,000 each year that follows. This is a guaranteed saving as it relates only to the fixed costs of operating the site, which are payable regardless of the levels of use. It doesn't include disposal costs for the waste currently accepted at the site.
If the proposal to close the Glossop site went ahead, waste which would have been taken there would most likely be taken to other recycling centres or placed into kerbside collections. We already pay for these types of disposal. Assuming our estimate is correct about use of the site by a large proportion of people living outside Derbyshire, it is likely that they will dispose of their waste in their own area and so the saving would be even greater.
The following table shows potential savings which could be made from a range of possible measures. Closing Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre would give us the third highest annual saving overall. It would also mean the highest saving per tonne of waste and the highest saving per visit, due to the current low usage.
Table showing savings comparisons
| Scenario | Annualised saving | Visits impacted per year | Saving per visit | Tonnes redistributed | Saving per tonne |
|---|
| Close Glossop |
£360,525.82 |
65,730.00 |
£5.48 |
3,826.52 |
£94.22 |
| Close Ashbourne |
£371,008.00 |
100,810.00 |
£3.68 |
5,076.27 |
£73.09 |
| Close Bolsover |
£337,882.78 |
171,940.00 |
£1.97 |
9,390.67 |
£35.98 |
| Close Bretby |
£334,663.12 |
102,030.00 |
£3.28 |
5,818.12 |
£57.52 |
| Close Chesterfield |
£423,995.33 |
204,030.00 |
£2.08 |
10,934.94 |
£38.77 |
| Close Ilkeston |
£340,568.86 |
157,960.00 |
£2.16 |
9,330.81 |
£36.50 |
| Close Loscoe |
£337,065.28 |
195,410.00 |
£1.72 |
11,638.57 |
£28.96 |
| Close Northwood |
£340,880.50 |
137,550.00 |
£2.48 |
5,484.76 |
£62.15 |
| Reduce Glossop by 1 day per week |
£17,362.59 |
9,468.03 |
£1.83 |
551.19 |
£31.50 |
| Reduce Glossop by 2 days per week |
£34,725.19 |
18,936.07 |
£1.83 |
1,102.38 |
£31.50 |
| Reduce Glossop by 1 hour per day |
£15,190.68 |
8,836.83 |
£1.72 |
514.44 |
£29.53 |
| Reduce Glossop by 2 hours per day |
£30,381.37 |
17,673.66 |
£1.72 |
1,028.88 |
£29.53 |
| Reduce all sites by 1 day per week |
£174,985.80 |
163,556.57 |
£1.07 |
8,858.82 |
£19.75 |
| Reduce all sites by 2 days per week |
£349,971.61 |
327,113.13 |
£1.07 |
17,717.64 |
£19.75 |
| Reduce all sites by 1 hour per day |
£153,117.34 |
152,652.79 |
£1.00 |
8,268.23 |
£18.52 |
| Reduce all sites by 2 hours per day |
£306,234.68 |
305,305.59 |
£1.00 |
16,536.46 |
£18.52 |
As well as saving on running costs, closing Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre would mean that we wouldn't have to spend an estimated £0.5 million needed to bring the site up to standard to make sure it continues to comply with safety regulations. Upgrades are needed to the site surface, drainage and boundary.
Alternative household waste recycling centres
We recognise that travelling to other household waste recycling centres, including Waterswallows in Buxton, may be difficult for some residents – particularly for those without access to a vehicle or those concerned about fuel costs. These impacts will be fully considered as part of the review and through feedback in the formal consultation.
We provide 2 household waste recycling centres in the High Peak (Glossop and Waterswallows in Buxton). Most district and boroughs in Derbyshire have one centre. If the proposal to close the Glossop site goes ahead, the number of residents per site in the High Peak will be approximately 91,900, which is less than the average for Derbyshire as a whole (approximately 102,800).
Typical journeys from Glossop to the Waterswallows site in Buxton are 15.1 miles and take approximately 30 minutes in each direction. For residents living between Glossop and Buxton, the travel distances and durations will be less. Information from the number plate recognition system at the Glossop centre shows that almost 3 in 4 users visit the site 3 times per year or less.
What the law says
Section 51 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 sets out the legal requirement to provide household waste recycling centres. It says each recycling centre must be:
- situated either within the area of the authority or so as to be reasonably accessible to persons resident in its area
- available for the deposit of waste at all reasonable times (including at least one period on the Saturday or following day of each week except a week in which the Saturday is 25 December or 1 January)
- available for the deposit of waste free of charge by persons resident in the area
There is no specific requirement for the distances people should or should not be expected to travel to their nearest centre.
Potential impacts on vulnerable residents and residents without a vehicle
We'll carry out a full equalities impact assessment following the public consultation. This will identify ways in which different groups might be affected if the proposals went ahead.
Feedback from people who use our recycling centres is essential to understand who might be affected and how.
We'll use all of this information to evaluate the overall impact of the proposals and any ways to potentially lessen any impact.
While it's possible for residents to arrange with us in advance to take their waste to our recycling centres on foot, the sites are primarily designed for vehicles. Everyone who lives in the High Peak has regular kerbside collections of household waste and recycling. Our recycling centres are mainly used for disposing of larger quantities of waste or items which are too large to fit in their bin. As an alternative, High Peak Borough Council also offers a bookable bulky waste collection service.
Potential impacts on the environment
It's not possible to provide an accurate estimate of any additional greenhouse gas emissions that would be generated by residents driving to Buxton if the proposal to close Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre went ahead. But there would also be a reduction in emissions associated with transporting waste from one location instead of 2.
The number plate recognition system at our Glossop centre shows that almost 3 out of every 4 users visit the site 3 times per year or less. Just under half of the users visit once per year and so any carbon emissions impact would be relatively small.
Fly-tipping
We understand that some people may have concerns that closing Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre could lead to an increase in fly‑tipping. But all available evidence – both national and local – consistently shows no clear link between changes to services at household waste recycling centres and increased illegal dumping.
- National research by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has repeatedly found no link between charges at recycling centres and fly‑tipping.
- A 2022 peer‑reviewed study examined the period when all household waste recycling centres in the UK closed during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Contrary to expectations, fly‑tipping decreased, suggesting that most illegal dumping is driven not by residents but by rogue traders, organised operators and opportunistic individuals.
- In Derbyshire, previous changes – including the introduction of charges for asbestos and tyres – did not result in increased fly‑tipping. In fact, recorded fly‑tipping fell by around 15% in the years that followed.
But we want to hear from residents about any concerns as part of the consultation and we'll take all comments into consideration.
We'll also consult with High Peak Borough Council about the potential impact on waste being presented for kerbside collection. Key risks will be assessed and potential measures to overcome any risks will be developed.
Recycling rates in Derbyshire
We're not expecting that the proposal to close Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre would lead to a reduction in recycling levels as other options for recycling would remain in place.
We closely monitor visitor numbers and the amount of waste collected at all of our recycling centres and so we would be able to accurately assess the impact of any proposals on recycling levels at our sites.
Council Tax
If a decision is taken to close Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre following the public consultation, there will be no direct reduction in Council Tax. Council Tax is a general tax that pays for a wide range of services rather than a direct payment for specific amenities like recycling centres.
If the proposals went ahead, there would still be adequate provision for the disposal of household waste and recycling in Derbyshire and the High Peak.
Alternative options
The following alternative options to closing Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre will be included in the public consultation:
- reducing opening hours at all household waste recycling centres in Derbyshire
- reducing the number of days per week that all household waste recycling centres in Derbyshire are open
- increased enforcement of the existing registration scheme
- installing an automatic entry barrier linked to the registration scheme
- installing a movable height barrier to restrict van use
- installing a permanent height barrier to stop all van use
- introducing van and trailer restrictions to match restrictions in neighbouring areas
- a dedicated booking system for Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre
- a booking system for all Derbyshire household waste recycling centres
No decisions regarding other sites will be made as a result of this consultation, but it's necessary that all alternatives to closure are reviewed. If there's significant support for making changes to all household waste recycling centres in Derbyshire, a separate public consultation would be needed before changes could be made.
Any alternative options must consider the costs and potential cost savings. None of the other options provide the same level of savings and they would affect services much more compared to what they save.
All of our sites except Waterswallows in Buxton are operated by HW Martin (Waste) Ltd and the costs and savings associated with this service are set out by contract.
Using household waste recycling centres outside Derbyshire
We're talking to councils in neighbouring areas outside Derbyshire about the possibility of residents living near the county boundary using their facilities and vice versa.
Relocating Glossop Household Waste Recycling Centre
Relocating the facility to reduce visitors from outside Derbyshire would not provide the cost savings required for the next financial year.
The process for identifying and buying a site, getting planning permission and the necessary environmental permits would take 3 to 5 years as a minimum.
Building a new site would be more expensive than keeping the existing recycling centre in working order and there would be no ongoing savings on operating costs.
Next steps
Your views, and those of the wider community, will play an important role in shaping the final decision, and residents are strongly encouraged to participate in the public consultation by filling in the questionnaire. We're committed to making any decision transparently, based on evidence and with full consideration of community impacts.
The timeline for the next steps are:
- 23 July 2026: Consultation ends and responses will be analysed
- early autumn 2026: Cabinet report published, including consultation feedback, equalities impact assessment (EIA), and financial assessment
- late 2026: Cabinet decision on the proposal
- December 2026 / January 2027: If the decision is taken to close Glossop HWRC, this is the period during which it is expected to be closed
Unfortunately, due to this matter going through a public consultation, we will be unable to address general queries about Glossop HWRC during that time and would encourage all comments and concerns to be submitted through the consultation process.
If you have a complaint about the process itself, or any other matter relating to waste and recycling in Derbyshire, please: