Under-threat Coseley tip could be saved

Chiefs are considering approaching Wolverhampton Council about the possibility of taking over the Anchor Lane site near Coseley, which is due to shut under proposals.

Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley revealed running Anchor Lane was an option being considered to provide a tip for people living in the north of the borough.

He said the move could also mean retaining Stourbridge tip and scrapping plans to find a new main dump for Dudley.

Wolverhampton Council wants to shut its two tips, which include Anchor Lane, in order to create a 'super dump' in the city.

But the closure would create a problem in Dudley, where the council currently pays Wolverhampton so its residents can use it.

Dudley leaders announced plans to close the Stourbridge tip on Birmingham Road earlier this year when Labour were in charge as it wanted to find a more central location in the borough residents could easily get to.

However, proposals to make the Leys Road depot in Brierley Hill the main tip ran into difficulty when it was met with a backlash by councillors and was subsequently ruled out when the Conservatives took control of the council in May.

Now Councillor Harley said officers had been asked to explore to possibility of a deal with Wolverhampton Council, but stressed the plans remained as just one option on the table at present and discussions had not been held with counterparts in the city.

He said: "We are enquiring as to whether we could purchase that site and still retain Stourbridge.

"If Wolverhampton has deemed it surplus to requirements it would mean we don't have anywhere in the north of the borough.

"If we could retain Wolverhampton and charge them to use it, it would pay for itself.

"It is somewhere in the north of the borough and there would still be a need for Wolverhampton to use it."

Councillor Harley said there was no rush to shut Stourbridge tip, suggesting leaders are relaxed about the current situation in Dudley.

Plans to shut the Stourbridge site and sell it off were first revealed in March under cost-cutting proposals.

But councillors feared a move to Brierley Hill could lead to an increase on traffic on major roads near the Merry Hill shopping centre and potential impact on a nearby nature reserve.