THE fire-damaged Taunton recycling site, in Priorswood, will reopen on Monday (November 13) after a month-long closure caused by the blaze.

Demolition of a building left in an unsafe state by the fire is due to be finished by the end of this week, meaning the site can be safely used again by the public from Monday.

Wellington and Bridgwater recycling sites, which have been opening seven days a week since the Taunton one closed, will revert to their original opening hours from Monday.

It means Wellington will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Bridgwater closed on Wednesdays.

Somerset Council has warning the reopened site in Priorswood was likely to be extra busy in the first few days and residents were urged to wait if they can and to check the online queue camera before setting off.

The site, which is run on the council’s behalf by Biffa, was forced to close after a major fire took hold of the adjoining Material Recovery Facility (MRF) during the early hours of October 3.

The cause of the fire remains a mystery but was said by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue to have been an accident.

The MRF fire was so severe it caused structural damage which saw engineers deem it damaged beyond repair.

The Taunton recycling site will be open seven days a week between 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

During its busier times, staff will meet and greet visitors to help with the flow of traffic.

Somerset executive Cllr Dixie Darch said: “We know that residents have been waiting patiently to access the recycling site.

“We thank you for your understanding and patience during this period of closure.

“Safety had to be our priority and we could not open the site until it was safe to do so.

“The first few weeks of reopening are likely to be extremely busy, if you are able to continue to safely store your waste, please hold off your visit for the time being.”

The Taunton recycling site has queue cams which visitors can check ahead of their visit to help plan for a quieter time.

For opening times and a list of everything accepted at the recycling site visit this website. 

At its height, the blaze was being fought by 60 firefighters, including crews from Wellington, Wiveliscombe, Minehead, and Williton.