MORE recycling and composting - these are the benefits York residents will get when the city's new purpose-built household waste recycling centre opens on April 10.

The gates will close for the last time at the Foss Islands Household Waste Recycling centre on Sunday, April 9, paving the way for the new Hazel Court centre to open the following day. The £1.3 million site is located just off James Street and will have more facilities for recycling and composting, with clear signage and good traffic flow, according to council chiefs.

Recyclable items include cans, glass, cardboard, textiles, books, shoes, electrical equipment, fluorescent tubes and, for the first time, CDs. The site will also accept normal household and trade waste.

It will be officially opened on its first day by the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Janet Greenwood.

Rachel Buxton, of the council's waste strategy unit, said: "Hazel Court is a purpose-built facility and we hope that customers will find it much easier to use than the old Foss Islands site.

"The split-level design will mean that people don't even have to lift their waste up into skips and the one-way traffic system will make it easier for drivers. The site also has increased recycling capacity, which should mean that the containers don't fill up as quickly."

Site attendants will be on hand to offer assistance to anyone who needs help getting used to the split-level site and to advise on recycling.

Meanwhile, the council is reminding residents that the opening times at its household waste recycling centres will be changing slightly.

From tomorrow until it closes, Foss Islands Road will open from Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 7pm, and Sunday from 8.30am to 4pm.

Hazel Court will open at the same times from April 10 to September 30.

Towthorpe will be open Monday to Sunday from 8.30am to 7pm until September 30, while Beckfield Lane will take goods on Monday to Friday from 5pm to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 2pm.

Updated: 09:51 Friday, March 31, 2006