The company behind Warwick's new three-weekly bin collections has been granted planning permission to improve its welfare facilities for drivers by Warwick District Council.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council and WDC announced in October that Biffa Waste Services would run the new 123+ waste collections which began on August 1 this year.

Though the service got off to a bumpy start, it is said to be reducing the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill.

And now Biffa has been given permission to revamp the driver facilities at its Collins Road vehicle depot which it said was needed "to meet our health and safety obligations and our commitment to employee wellbeing".

The company, which also has a depot at Avenue Farm in Stratford district, has been given the green light to build two new portacabins, one for showers and the second for a canteen.

These will replace an existing cabin already on site.

The application said: "The new accommodation will provide better and more up to date welfare facilities for the existing drivers and loaders based at the Collins Road site."

It added: "Biffa has recently been awarded a joint refuse and recycling services contract with Warwick and Stratford on Avon District Councils. As part of the contract, Biffa will help the two local authorities to contribute to the recycling and sustainability goals with a three-weekly residual waste collection service and weekly separate food waste collection. 

"Warwick will also move from requiring residents to sort their recyclable wastes for collection to a fully coming led dry recyclables service which should help drive up recycling rates and reduce the amount of residual waste. 

"In order to service the new contract efficiently, Biffa will manage the service from two sites located at Avenue Farm in Stratford District and the Collins Road site."

Planning permission was granted by WDC on delegated authority.