The environmental services team at Uttlesford District Council has moved to a new depot in Little Canfield, with more environmentally-friendly features.

Both the waste collection and ground maintenance crews moved into the new premises - a former banana ripening factory - in Little Canfield in May.

The service previously operated from two depots, one at Shire Hall in Saffron Walden and the other near to the high street in Great Dunmow.

The new depot provides an improved working space for staff, with a new kitchen and dining area, shower and washing facilities.

On site there is a more energy-efficient vehicle workshop with solar panels on its roof, and a refuse collection vehicle wash-down point which uses recycled water.

The move to Little Canfield not only brings the two teams together under one roof, but also helps to reduce noise and congestion in Great Dunmow and Saffron Walden.

Cllr Petrina Lees, Leader of Uttlesford District Council, said: “The council has tried for many years to find a more suitable location for its refuse collection operations, to move away from built-up residential areas and bring together the two Environmental Services teams.

"We are delighted to achieve both these objectives with the move to Little Canfield.

“The new depot is an excellent facility with mod-cons so is much greener and helps with our climate change goals. It’s also providing a much-improved working environment for the staff which reflects their value to the organisation and the hard work and high-quality service they deliver for our residents.

“The transition to the central site has gone extremely smoothly, and I’m pleased to say it has not caused disruption to the service.”

As well as operating as a headquarters for the environmental services teams, the site also includes a separate business suite and office space for use by other council departments.

Desk-based council staff are continuing to work in a hybrid mix of home and office working, and the Little Canfield site will provide a further option alongside the council's main building in Saffron Walden and satellite office space in Stansted Mountfitchet.