Setting a new standard in sustainable, community-focused waste management

It’s been two years since we completed the Keynsham Recycling Hub!

In 2024, we completed the state-of-the-art Keynsham Recycling and Highways Hub, bringing together several Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council services, including waste and recycling collections, a public recycling centre, vehicle maintenance, highways operations, and community facilities, into a single, highly efficient site.

The hub sets a new benchmark for integrated infrastructure and aligns with industry best practice. Sustainability was central to our proposals, with the design responding to B&NES’s climate and nature emergency declaration.

A Recycling Hub for the Community

We planned and coordinated logistics with B&NES to optimise the site layout for efficiency, safety, and accommodate future growth. Clear zoning segregates HGV movements from public access, while training, office, and welfare spaces support over 200 operatives. The reuse shop sits at the heart of the community, promoting circular-economy principles and diverting items from landfill.

Sustainability had to be central to the design. We took a fabric-first approach, including 780 kWp of solar PV, rainwater harvesting, air-source heat pumps, and EV charging for the fleet. Sustainable drainage and enhanced ecology resulted in a 17% biodiversity net gain, and the training centre operates at net zero carbon. The site is also future-proofed for more electric vehicles.

By working closely with stakeholders, including user groups, planners, specialist consultants, and the Environment Agency, we embedded operational and regulatory needs from the outset. Early and open engagement shaped our approach to fire prevention, drainage, waste management, and noise control, resulting in a facility that is both efficient and widely supported.

Collaboration

As a B Corp we foster open, transparent communication with clients, end users, consultants, and contractors. We believe that the best outcomes are achieved through genuine partnership; working closely with stakeholders to understand operational needs, technical requirements, and future aspirations.

 Ian James of Bath & North East Somerset Council kindly summed up our work together on this project:

‘Thanks to the dedicated work of SRA, who led the design and consulting team in collaboration with B&NES Council’s Project and Waste Management teams and Principal Contractor Farrans, Keynsham Recycling Hub has been a huge success, winning plaudits and garnering interest from a host of other local authorities and other organisations from the Waste Management and Recycling industry.’

Awarding success and learning opportunities

We’re proud to have been recognised for our work, winning the 2025 Constructing Excellence South West award for ‘Building Project of the Year Over £5 million’.

The lessons learned and experience gained on any project are always carried forward to address new design challenges. Keynsham Recycling Hub presented many learning opportunities. Senior Architect, Hilary Blake, shares about the influence this project had on her career.

Find out more about Keynsham Recycling Hub, or contact us to find out how we can work with you.