BUCKFASTLEIGH is uniting against the threatened closure of its recycling centre.

Residents say that closing Bulley Cleaves would lead to more fly-tipping and more rubbish going into expensive and environmentally- unsound landfill.

Buckfastleigh Town Council and the Buck the Trend environmental group are leading the campaign to save the site.

Petitions have been put in shops, Dart Motors and pubs. Town councillor Graham Squires collected 500 names at the recycling centre last weekend. A protest is planned there tomorrow morning.

'I think it's a very rash decision. A lot of people use it, they're friendly and helpful. If we go to Newton Abbot there are going to be lots of issues with queuing and extra petrol costs.'

A straw poll of residents suggests that people would be willing to pay to save their valued amenity.

Cllr Squires said an estimated 400 cars visited the site every weekend, not only from Buckfastleigh but Buckfast, Ashburton, Holne, Scoriton, Dean Prior and parts of the moor. A fee of £2 per trip would bring in more than £40,000 a year.

Julian Sanders, who runs the privately-owned site on behalf of Devon County Council, said he was willing to make substantial savings to keep the site open.

'We were expecting to be able to tender but last week I got an email late saying sorry we've withdrawn the tender we can't afford the site this year.

'I was a bit disappointed that I had gone to all the trouble of reviewing our business without getting the l From page 1

opportunity of show them what I had done.'

He is proposing that the contract is extended for 12 months to see if he can still make it pay and whether the county could afford to extend the contract.

According to latest estimates, the county expects to save £112,000 by closing the amenity.

A spokesman said: 'The tender process was started for Buckfastleigh, but it became evident that the need for savings was so great that even if it was operated for free, savings would still need to be made.'

Many are critical of the decision, saying that no impact study has been done and that savings could be achieved in other ways.

Steve Bamford, secretary of Buck the Trend, said that faced with a 12-mile round trip to Totnes recycling centre, many people would simply stuff waste into their black bins, destined for landfill. This makes no sense, he said, when it was partly because of the hike in landfill taxes that the county were having to make such deep cuts in the first place.

'We do understand they are in a very difficult situation but the arguments don't seem to stack up,' he said.

Joyce McGrath, of Jordan Street, a regular user of the site, said: 'It is an outrage. I'm just furious about it and I know a lot of people are. I feel the axe falls in inappropriate places, saving little money but having a large impact.'

Joy Laity, who works at Huccaby's News, said: 'Most people in the town use it. Everyone's up in arms. It's just another thing that seems to be going from Buckfastleigh.

'People say they would be willing to pay £1.50-£2 a visit. Whether we will get anywhere I don't know.'

Dominique Mayer, of Fore Street, said: 'The recycling centre is one of the most functional things in Buckfastleigh. We don't have that many amenities. Everybody uses it, there are always people queuing up.

'It's one of the things that brings all the people in the town together.'

County Cllr Stuart Barker said that no decision had been made.

'I am trying to fight these proposals. Like everyone else I use the site and don't want to drive to Newton Abbot.'

He said a problem was that it costs £190 to process one tonne of waste, compared to £79 elsewhere.

'I am waiting for clarification on that figure.

'It's always been an uncompetitive centre but we've always seen it as a value. Previously we've been able to find money and took the view it could be subsidised. This year we are having to make £54m cuts across the board.'ASHBURTON Town Council's General Purpose Committee has 'strongly objected' to the recycling centre at Bulley Cleave Quarry closing.Councillors said the centre, used by many Ashburtonians, would be a great loss and could lead to increased flytipping.