People in Bath are set to stage a protest against plans to build a new dump on their street.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES) has submitted a planning application to build a new “state-of-the-art” recycling centre on Locksbrook Road.

The centre will replace the current Bath Recycling Centre on Midland Road which is set to be turned into housing as part of the Western Riverside project.

But people on nearby streets have warned that it will cause more traffic and is being built on the wrong side of the city. Now locals are planning to hold a protest against the plans at the site on Monday.

Kate Warner, who has lived in the nearby area for 20 years, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “On this side of town, we can easily get to Keynsham so we are just a bit befuddled as to why this site is being considered rather than somewhere on the other side of town.”

The new recycling centre on Pixash Lane, in Keynsham, only opened last year. Tim Wallace, who has been helping to organise the community opposition, added: “Keynsham was expected to take capacity from Bath once Midland was shut down.”

He warned that traffic from the east side of Bath would still need to travel all the way across the city to get to the dump. There would be 56 slots an hour at the recycling centre, although it is unlikely all would be booked.

Ms Warner said she was worried the plans would increase traffic, as the street was already busy with “pinch points.” She said: “We are also concerned about the air quality. We have got a lot of children walking to school in this area.”

She added: “One of the Liberal Democrat’s main manifesto promises was to cut air pollution.”

Mr Wallace added that there were many elderly people and young families in the area, with the closest house only about 25 metres from the planned site. He said: “To plonk a recycling centre right next to them is going to be a great loss of amenity for those homes.”

The community is planning a protest at the site against the plans at 5.30pm on Monday (September 16). Mr Wallace said it was “inspiring” how local roads had come together because they felt the plans were “fundamentally wrong.”

A total of 61 people have submitted objections to the planning application, while just four people have submitted comments in support.

Announcing the scheme in August, Tim Ball, the council cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said at the time: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the engagement and has given their feedback on the proposals. We have listened to what was said and incorporated some suggestions when shaping the planning application.

People can view and comment on the plans by visiting this website: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning/details.html?refval=24%2F03168%2FREG03