COUNCIL chiefs have been forced to review their recycling strategy following opposition to a recycling centre in East Cleveland.

Suggestions have been put forward for the centre to be sited at Deepdale, Loftus; at Liverton Mines Industrial Estate; and at Kilton Lane, Brotton, but residents in each area argued against the plans.

Councillor Brian Hogg, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's lead member for environment and infrastructure said: "We have tried to find the right site on three occasions, and each time the public has convinced us it was the wrong decision."

It was proposed to locate 15 skips at the site, which would have been manned during the day and at weekends, allowing residents to recycle a range of materials, including cans, bottles, garden refuse, textiles and white goods.

The council was planning to create the centre using part of £600,000 of Government money. The money will also be used to build centres at the authority's Warrenby depot and Carlin Howe Farm, near Guisborough.

At Deepdale, residents were concerned over the narrow access road and disturbance.

That led the council to consider Liverton Mines Industrial Estate, but residents were worried that a bakers' unit on the estate could be affected. They also felt the site was unsuitable for a centre.

The third choice was Kilton Lane, previously the site for construction cabins during work on the Skelton-Brotton bypass. This time, residents feared the loss of picturesque views.

Coun Hogg said: "I really do not think there is any point now taking this issue further. It is disappointing because we are being tasked by the Government to look at improving recycling, but clearly the siting of this particular recycling centre is not going to be a simple matter."

The council will now approach the Government to ask if it can use £60,000 earmarked for an East Cleveland recycling centre to fund the blue box recycling scheme.

The blue box scheme, to start in May, is an expansion of the blue bag recycling programme and will include collections of a wider range of recyclable material.