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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHeidelberg Materials UK has expanded its Agecroft recycling operation in Swinton, Manchester, with a new wash plant and rail siding. The plant can separate, wash and process up to 450,000 tonnes of excavated waste a year, while its water-recovery system recirculates almost 100% of process water, according to Heidelberg Materials UK’s 2026 announcement.
What has changed at Agecroft
The 13-acre Agecroft facility at Agecroft Commerce Park, 4 Overman Way, Swinton, Manchester, now combines two additions: a large-scale wash plant for excavated material and a rail siding for inbound primary aggregate.
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Wash plant capacity and output
Heidelberg Materials describes the installation as the UK’s largest wash plant. It is designed to separate, wash and process up to 450,000 tonnes of excavated waste per year. The principal feedstocks are soils arising from construction, demolition and industrial sites. Suitable material is processed into recycled aggregates rather than being sent directly to landfill.
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Water recovery
Drainage and water-recovery systems capture and recirculate almost 100% of the plant’s process water, according to the company. That reduces the need for fresh process water, although the published figure is a company claim for the installation rather than an independently audited whole-site performance result.
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Rail connection
The new siding receives primary aggregate from Heidelberg Materials’ Horton quarry in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The company says moving aggregate by rail is intended to reduce vehicle movements on the wider road network and associated carbon-dioxide emissions while supplying customers in Manchester. No quantified emissions saving has been published, so the environmental benefit should be understood as an intended logistics outcome rather than a measured reduction.
Why the expansion matters for construction
Agecroft’s expanded operation links recovery of excavated material with the distribution of primary aggregate. In practical terms, contractors can send suitable soils and construction arisings for treatment while the same regional facility supplies recycled and primary products.
James Whitelaw, Managing Director of Aggregates, Asphalt and Recycling North, said the investment is intended to conserve natural resources and promote a circular economy. He said the bespoke wash plant recovers and washes soil and construction waste into recycled aggregates, helping meet demand for lower-impact construction products and diverting more material from landfill.
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Those benefits depend on the material being suitable for recovery and on loads arriving with the required documentation. Contaminated or otherwise unsuitable waste may require treatment or disposal instead of aggregate production.
What Agecroft accepts
The Manchester facility lists the following intake streams:
- Excavated soils and aggregates
- Utilities arisings
- Recycled asphalt planings
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- Concrete
- Soil and stone from construction and demolition work
Excavated soils require site-investigation and/or waste-information documentation. The exact acceptance decision depends on the load’s composition, test results and applicable waste rules, so a contractor should confirm requirements with the site before dispatch.
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Can you bring soil or hardcore to Agecroft?
Potentially, yes, provided the material is an accepted waste stream and the legal and technical paperwork is in order. Users of the disposal facilities must be licensed waste carriers and provide suitable waste-transfer notes. Soil-test results are required where applicable, and excavated soils require site-investigation and/or waste-information documentation.
Documents to prepare
- A valid waste-carrier licence for the carrier transporting the load
- Appropriate waste-transfer notes
- Soil-test results where the material requires testing
- Site-investigation or other waste-information documents for excavated soils
Loads should not be treated as automatically acceptable simply because they are described as “soil,” “hardcore” or “inert.” Classification, contamination and the presence of other materials can change the handling route.
Services available to contractors
Agecroft lists services that support both incoming waste and outgoing materials:
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- Soil testing
- Assessment of soil reports
- Treatment and disposal of contaminated soil
- Haulage
- 8-wheel tipper hire
- Grab hire
The facility uses an in-house fleet of 8-wheel tippers. Contractors should establish haulage scope, load limits, testing requirements and charges before booking, because the published service information does not provide a universal price list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recycled aggregates available
The site supplies primary and recycled aggregates, including:
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- Washed recycled sands
- Washed recycled aggregate sizes
Heidelberg Materials says its recycled aggregates are produced under WRAP and Environment Agency Quality Protocols. Certificates describing aggregate properties can be provided, which helps designers and contractors check whether a product meets a project’s specification. The certificate and the intended end use should be reviewed before ordering, particularly for applications with specified grading, strength or contamination limits.
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Opening hours and service area
Agecroft serves Greater Manchester and much of the North West. The facility’s listed opening hours are:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 07:00–17:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00–12:00 |
These hours apply to the current Manchester facility listing and should be confirmed when arranging a delivery, collection or vehicle hire.
How the expansion changes project planning
For excavation and demolition projects
Build testing and waste classification into the programme before soil leaves site. Early assessment can distinguish recoverable material from loads requiring treatment or disposal, reducing the risk of rejected deliveries and unplanned haulage.
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Ask for the relevant product certificate and confirm the required recycled Type 1, sand or aggregate size against the project specification. Availability, collection arrangements and delivery distances will affect the practical carbon and cost benefit of using a recycled product.
For transport planning
The rail siding changes the inbound logistics route for primary aggregate from Horton quarry, while the site’s road fleet supports local haulage. Rail can reduce road movements for that inbound supply, but the company has not published a numerical saving, so projects should use verified transport data when calculating emissions.
What the published figures do—and do not—show
| Measure | Published figure or position | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Wash-plant processing capacity | Up to 450,000 tonnes of excavated waste per year | Heidelberg Materials UK figure announced in 2026 |
| Process-water recovery | Almost 100% recirculated | Company description of the plant’s drainage and recovery system |
| Waste recycled at the service | Usually around 90% of collected or received waste | Company statement on current service pages; not an independently audited result for the new plant |
| Rail-related emissions saving | Not quantified | The company states the rail link is intended to reduce vehicle movements and associated emissions |
Bottom line for contractors
Agecroft is now a larger regional recovery and aggregate hub: it can wash and process substantial volumes of excavated waste, recover nearly all process water for reuse, accept several construction-material streams and supply certified recycled aggregates. Bringing material still requires correct classification, testing and waste-transfer documentation, and the site’s published recycling percentage and environmental benefits should be read as company-reported claims rather than independent performance measurements.
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