RELOCATION of staff to the Ansa Environmental Hub in Middlewich is under way.

In a letter supplied to the Guardian that Ansa sent to suppliers and contractors, the Cheshire East Council-owned waste company confirmed the moving dates for staff from three depots to the Cledford Lane site.

The letter states: “Ansa is currently operating out of a number of premises and we will be relocating from these on a phased basis starting in October 2017.”

It confirmed that office staff began moving to the hub from the Brooks Lane depot on October 9 and that fleet workshop operations and staff will follow on October 26.

Cllr David Latham, Middlewich town councillor, said: “We know that the opening date for this site is imminent and that preliminary work is also being done.

“If Ansa is moving staff and fleet there then surely vehicles won’t be sat empty until the end of February?

“Everyone I have spoken to can’t seem to understand the reason for this move. Our residents are against it for safety reasons and some employees seem to be against it.

“People don’t want to move so far away from where they currently work, it would be an inconvenience in any industry.

“The Action Against Ansa group will be meeting over the next few weeks to discuss plans and steps forward.

“The next stage will be for the Traffic Commissioner to grant a temporary licence. Only then can the hub legally be allowed to operate.

“But I am concerned that it will be run as a skeleton company until the end of that period.”

The letter states that the remainder of Ansa staff in Crewe and Macclesfield would be relocated to Middlewich by February 2018.

A CEC spokesman said: “This is a letter to suppliers and contractors relating to the impending relocation of Ansa resources to the new waste transfer hub at Middlewich.

“As the situation remains fluid, some of the information has been updated in further communication.

“This will be a phased operation over the coming weeks.”