A WASTE boss has confirmed his plans to move his depot from the Moss estate.
Joe Henshaw has run his waste management business on Moss Lane for more than 25 years.
He currently has a £43,000-a-month contract with Cheshire East Council to sort waste from its silver bins.
Now Mr Henshaw claims he is willing to sell his site for housing and has identified a potential new home on the edge of the town.
It comes after the council’s revealed a new 15 years waste strategy which includes building a waste transfer facility and starting commercial and trade waste collections, both which rival what Henshaws offers.
Mr Henshaw, who is also awaiting the outcome of a planning application to expand parts of his operation, said: “We are planning to move from Moss Lane.
“It’s a done deal and it will be sold for housing.
“We are now trying to find a suitable site to move to.
“I have a few options, including one on the outskirts of the town, but getting planning approval is the real problem.
“That’s where I will need the help of the council.
“As for the council expanding its operation into commercial waste that doesn’t bother me.
“I’m running at only 50pc capacity quite comfortably. My problem with this site is that I’m not allowed to expand it.”
Coun Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council, said he is willing to help Henshaw’s move.
He said: “One thing is clear Henshaws must leave Moss Lane. I will not support that area being used for waste. We will help any business to relocate and I will help Henshaws but not to move into an urban area.”
Key to the council’s waste strategy is sorting through our silver bins and sending the recyclables off for processing.
Its failed attempt to build a waste transfer station (WTS) at Lyme Green has left the council struggling to find a suitable site in the north of the borough.
The council is now looking to build a WTS near Sandbach.
Another key element of the plan is to build a dry anaerobic digestion facility to turn our organic waste - including leftover food and garden waste - into heat and power.
There are also proposals for Ansa, the council’s arms-length company for waste services, to expand its service to commercial waste.
This could make the council up to £1m profit each year, according to the waste strategy.
The council is also planning to cut down the number of recycling drop off sites in the borough, replace litter bins with recycling bins to increase recycling rates and contract bulky waste collection and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling to the voluntary sector.
In 2013/14 the council collected 179,646 tonnes of waste. More than half - 53 pc - was recycled, six percent used to generate electricity and the remaining 41pc landfilled.
