MALVERN'S household waste site is set to double in size, in the biggest shake-up since it opened.

And after its conversion, the former "tip" at Newland will be a top-class industry-standard facility, say operators Severn Waste Services.

Worcestershire County Council's planning committee decided this week to allow the scheme to go ahead.

Philip Sherratt, Severn Waste Services' area director, said: "This is great news. The next step will be to draw up detailed technical plans, award contracts and so on, and I hope work will be able to start in March next year."

He said the plan was to have the new facility ready for the public by August 2001. The scheme involves extending the existing site by some 45 metres northwards and refurbishing the site to form a split-level facility.

This abolishes the need for users to climb metal stairs to throw their rubbish in the skips and so speeds throughput.

It also means more cars can fit on the site at one time, which the operators hope will mean an end to queues extending off the site and down Worcester Road at busy times.

Mr Sherratt said: "The new facility will be a completely different experience. It will be a major change from going down the tip as people now know it.

"What we will offer will be more of a drive-through experience. It will be safer, more environmentally friendly and with more recycling opportunities. It will be an industry-standard facility."

He said the company's waste site in Ledbury, which opened recently, has been such a hit with local people that it was given a design award by the town council.

"That does not happen very often, a tip getting a civic award," he said.

Mr Sharratt said the company would be thinking hard about how to provide alternative facilities while the work is being done.

"People do not stop generating waste, so we will have to continue offering the facilities," he said.