A recycling plant has applied to be able to operate earlier in the morning and later into the evening.

Recycling Lives wants to extend the processing times at its Longridge Road plant at Red Scar.

The charity, which has grown rapidly in recent years, says it needs to increase ‘fragmentation’ hours to keep up with demand.

It also says the increased hours will lead to more jobs being created in the city with additional employment at the recycling park which is between Ribbleton and Grimsargh.

Currently the plant can only run its fragmenting process, where it breaks up recycled metal material into smaller pieces, from 7.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays.

The new planning application – submitted to Lancashire County Council but also to Preston City Council for their approval – would see these hours extended to start at 7am and go through until 8pm.

Recycling Lives can currently operate on Saturdays from 8.30am to 1pm and this is due to continue.

Legal and compliance director for Recycling Lives Paul Finnerty said: “We are seeking to extend the hours of our industry-leading fragmentiser at our 15-acre Recycling Park in Preston.

“This will allow us to increase the amount of recycling undertaken at our facility, granting us greater flexibility to manage waste and creating a less obtrusive process.

“In doing so, we will create a number of additional jobs at our site, which already employs more than 200 people locally – we employ more than 425 people nationally.

“These extended operational hours will contribute to our unique social value model, where we create social impact through our commercial recycling contracts as we support and sustain three charitable programmes. We’re committed to our programmes growing in line with business growth.”

The firm has recently won a number of awards for its work to give jobs to ex-offenders and the homeless and re-investing its profits into training and development.

Read more: Recycling Lives puts new parking plan in place for Longridge Road

In 2015 the company was allowed to extend its processing time for metal from 2pm to 5.30pm, despite complaints from residents living in nearby The Hills in Grimsargh.

Full plans can be seen on the Preston City Council website.

Do you live or work in the area? What do you think of the proposal? Let us know in the comments below