Plans to take away “well-used” recycling centres in Marlow amid fears they are becoming fly-tipping hotspots have been met with disapproval.

There are currently four recycling centres across the town, three in Liston Road, Court Garden and Riley Road car parks and one in Wiltshire Road, but under plans put forward by the Joint Waste Team at Wycombe District Council three of those would be removed.

The controversial move comes as the council claims that most recycling centres are being “misused” for dumping trade waste or fly-tipping, or are becoming “redundant”.

While Marlow town and district councillor Richard Scott agreed that three recycling bins in the centre of the town may be “a bit heavy”, he said the centre on Wiltshire Road should be kept.

He said: “I went down there and the two paper bins were completely full and it didn’t look like trade waste to me – there were pizza packets and newspapers. The plastic bin was completely full and the glass bin half full.

“I can see that three in the town centre is probably a bit heavy and the one in Riley Road is probably enough, but I’m more concerned about Wiltshire Road because I think we need to speak to residents and find out if they do use it rather than just an outright closure.”

And it has been revealed that WDC had not planned to release the information about the closures into the public domain, instead just consulting with district councillors and parish councils on the plan and giving them until July 14 to respond.

Kathy Thompson, Marlow town councillor, said that fly-tipping is a problem at the Wiltshire Road site but agreed that it should remain.

She said: “I go down there twice a day and there is fly-tipping and waste there – I have been watching it and they do have a point. My concern is that if the bins are not there, there will still be fly-tipping and waste and it’s not actually going to solve the problem.”

Sue Robinson, a spokesman for Wycombe District Council and the Joint Waste Team said they are considering the removal to prevent an unnecessary cost for the taxpayer.

She said: “Since we introduced fortnightly kerbside recycling collections in 2013, the need for large – some might say unsightly – recycling centres within local communities has become redundant.

“Considerably fewer householders need to use the recycling centres these days and, regrettably, we’re now seeing more trade and commercial waste being disposed of in them at the taxpayers’ expense.

“We have reviewed the provision of these recycling centres and identified some that need to be removed. We have informed district councillors, landowners, towns and parishes which will be affected by the planned closures.

“We believe it makes good business sense to focus our resources where most needed. Continuing to run redundant recycling centres where they are not required, or are being misused, needs to be addressed.”

Email recyclingconsultation@chiltern.gov.uk to have your say on the plans by July 14. The outcome is expected by August 4.

What do you think of the plans? Email Stephanie.wareham@london.newsquest.co.uk.