WORK will soon begin to open up a new pit at Shewalton Landfill Site, at a cost of £1.3 million.

The Irvine landfill currently has four pits, or 'cells’, where rubbish is compacted, but the fourth is getting very close to maximum capacity.

As a result, plans are in place to build a fifth cell over the next two years.

The project will also involve the 'capping’ of the existing cell - cell 4 - which involves covering the pit with soil.

The council undertook a procurement exercise for the landfill engineering and design work and received tenders from eight companies.

At their meeting last week, the North Ayrshire Council cabinet agreed to approve the award of the contract to Priority Construction Limited, at a value of £1,346,000.