BISHOP'S Waltham residents have called the plans to close its tip 'completely and utterly stupid'.

The tip, in Claylands Road, is one of several across the district which Hampshire County Council has earmarked for closure.

Other tips which could close are in Alresford, Fair Oak, Hayling Island and Hartley Wintney.

The council’s plan will also impact opening hours and days and change the type of waste accepted at other household waste recycling centres (HWRC), and would save around £500,000 per year.

This will contribute to plug a £132m budget shortfall by April 2025. 

READ MORE: Councillors warn that plans to close tips could lead to more fly tipping

Recently retired Fred Woodfine, 80, former owner of The Anvil tearoom, was critical of the plan. He said: “It's short-sighted and completely and utterly stupid. All it does is it encourages fly-tipping. I use the tip a couple of times a month, but now I'm retired, I don't use it as much. But the number of people who do use it justifies retaining it.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Bishop's Waltham tip

Michael, who declined to give his surname, agreed and said: “It's all part of cutbacks. You've got public services and amenities that are going to be lost. It's part of a broad spectrum of desperate cuts. I use the tip about monthly. For large items like metal, we'd have to take there. Of course, if it closes it's a longer journey which is more out of your leisure time. Then you've got to plan and queue. If you start closing these recycling centre, you'll get longer queues at the one that remain.”

Many people the Chronicle spoke to were unaware of the plans or said they had never used the town's tip. 

SEE ALSO: Alresford residents raise concerns over proposed tip closure

Cllr Jonathan Williams, ward councillor for Bishop’s Waltham, previously said: “The Bishop's Waltham tip isn't just essential for Bishop's Waltham, but also for the wider Meon Valley. People from Wickham, Swanmore, and other communities rely on it too.

“This won't just cut recycling, but also risks increasing fly-tipping, traffic, and pollution.”

County council leader Rob Humby previously said: "We currently have 24 HWRCs and we think that's more than any other shire county.

"We have very clear criteria from the government about the tonnage they can take and how far people can be expected to drive.

"That's helped us determine which ones aren't viable when we are having to make cuts to services because of our financial pressures.

"We truly believe most of the residents of Hampshire are law abiding and will not fly-tip."