Moray Waste Busters looking to expand Forres Enterprise Park

A popular social enterprise hopes to expand into additional premises to divert even more items from landfill.

Waterford Road-based Moray Waste Busters (MWB), has applied to Moray Council for permission to change the use of Strathcona House call centre at Forres Enterprise Park to a re-use hub with facilities for sales, workshops and a café.

A MWB spokesperson confirmed the Waterford site will continue as a collection, sorting, and testing facility.

He explained: “Barriers to growth due to physical constraints at Waterford require acquiring a building that can be used as quickly as possible. To support ongoing growth in re-use and enhance our social activities, we need a space to double our current capacity.

“Strathcona House is close enough to work operationally and large enough to grow our operations and community activities for years to come. It has good access for our vans to operate safely and efficiently, with a bus service stopping by the entrance, cycle lanes to the property, and ample parking.”

MWB hopes to transform Strathcona House into a community hub with a re-use outlet, superfast electric vehicle charging hub, share and repair workshops, upcycling classes, community meeting rooms, workshop spaces, educational visits, office spaces, and a resource point for other social enterprises, local charities, community groups, and schools.

MWB general manager Phil Mills said the workshops would start once they are settled in the building.

He added: “We previously ran workshops collaborating with local craftspeople and artists before we ran out of space at Waterford.

“Share and repair is a growing part of our sector. It involves repairing items that can be saved and also offering the chance to rent and return an item rather than buy, for example, a DIY power tool.

“We already employ a qualified school teacher part-time who goes out to schools to deliver workshops. We used to have schools visit us before we ran out of space! A new building would create the opportunity to offer them again.”

The green, not-for-profit venture was founded in 2002 next to Forres Recycling Centre as a food recycling, wormery, and composting site.

The main aim of the charity’s 29 team members now is to reduce waste by saving items from landfills and promoting their reuse. The current premises divert close to 25 tonnes of landfill a month, equating to nearly 30,000 items. MWB passes on around £2000 worth of items for free every month to local community groups and schools.

Phil said: “Thank you to everyone for all the wonderful support and encouragement they have given us over the years, and for this new venture.”

MWB has been looking for suitable premises for expansion since 2017 and is still enjoying rapid growth. Its target market and catchment primarily includes Forres, Elgin, and Nairn but extends further into the region. In the first quarter of 2025, MWB has experienced a 9.4 per cent growth compared to the same quarter last year.

Since COVID, turnover has risen by 285 per cent - the growing demand has pushed it to maximum capacity at Waterford.

“Strathcona House is the only property available in the area that meets all our criteria,” said the spokesperson. “The property is available and ready to use, and the acquisition is a financially viable option for us.”

Moray Council’s Planning Committee will make a decision on the application by June 23.

If it gets the go-ahead MWB hopes to fund the project via grants and loans.