PLANS to spend £730,000 on Darlington's household recycling centre have been unveiled.

The plan is to double the size of the Drinkfield Civic Amenity Site in Mewburn Road, and offer more recycling and educational opportunities.

Darlington was awarded the Government cash in April last year to boost the amount of waste recycled by councils.

The planning application, which will go before the council's planning committee on Wednesday, May 11, includes plans for 1.5 metre wide ramps for wheelchairs and elevated gantries, which will help people fill up skips more evenly.

The variety of waste which can be recycled will also be increased.

There are plans to erect information boards on how and what to recycle.

The council will also change the name of the site to the Household Waste Recycling Centre to discourage commercial traders from using it.

A steel fence will be built around the perimeter and closed circuit television cameras will be installed and monitored on a 24-hour basis.

The application mentions the possibility of installing solar panels or a wind turbine on the roof of the site office to provide renewable energy.

Because the centre borders the Drinkfield Marsh nature reserve, several environmental factors will be considered, including how the expansion will affect the nearby habitats of water voles and great crested newts.