DISTRICT chiefs are set to rule on whether or not to invest £318,000 into redeveloping a waste operations depot in Wareham.

Purbeck District Council (PDC) members are being recommended to approve investment of capital funding for the Westminster Road depot, which is currently owned by the council and leased to Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP).

The premises have been used as a site for waste operations by PDC for many years, but after April 2019 the asset will be owned by the new Dorset Council.

Money invested will be used to bankroll significant redevelopment of the site.

A report to PDC states: "The demolition of the whole site creates a larger operation space for the DWP so it can accommodate more waste vehicles.

"This will enable DWP to expand its commercial waste and garden waste operations in Purbeck.

"Both of these services generate income for the DWP.

"Expanding this part of the operation will result in the creation of new jobs for the area."

Currently, in order to meet service demands in Purbeck, both commercial and domestic collection vehicles are driving from Poundbury, as there is not enough space at the Wareham depot, the report to councillors says.

"The additional space created at the deport," the report explains, " will prevent these additional journeys which will have a positive environmental impact."

The draft Wareham Local Neighbourhood Plan supports a mixed use redevelopment of the Westminster Road Industrial Estate.

DWP will also invest £216,000 towards the redevelopment, which includes demolition of the entire site, before laying an even surface and providing modular office accommodation.

The report added: "Notwithstanding the outcome of the neighbourhood plan, it is considered there are urgent works required at the depot and these should be carried out as part of the redevelopment."