Direct answer
Burnham Recycling Centre is at Crowpiece Lane, Buckinghamshire, SL2 3TG, and Buckinghamshire Council's own page for this site currently lists opening hours of 9am to 4pm, seven days a week. The council's page explains this seven-day pattern is a temporary arrangement while Langley Household Recycling Centre is closed for essential works, so it will change again once Langley reopens. You don't need to book an appointment, the site is free only for Buckinghamshire residents who bring proof of address, and vans, trucks or minibuses need a vehicle waste permit arranged with the council in advance. Because hours and rules are set and published by the council rather than by houseclearance.co, check the official Burnham recycling centre page directly before you travel, especially while this temporary schedule is in place.
Contents
The site address and getting there
Confirm you're heading to the right site before you set off.
The site operates under the name Burnham Recycling Centre and sits on Crowpiece Lane, Buckinghamshire, SL2 3TG. It's run by Buckinghamshire Council as one of the county's network of household recycling centres, not by houseclearance.co or any private operator, so the council's own site page is the authoritative source for the address, current opening pattern and any access arrangements on the day. There are 6 spaces for vehicles to unload, which is worth bearing in mind during busy periods.
Current opening hours and the Langley closure
Why Burnham's schedule looks different right now - and what to check before you travel.
As of the date this guide was last reviewed, Buckinghamshire Council's page for Burnham Recycling Centre lists opening hours of 9am to 4pm every day of the week, Monday to Sunday. The council's page is explicit about why: Langley Household Recycling Centre closed on 9 September 2026 for essential drainage works and is expected to reopen before Easter 2027, and residents who'd normally use Langley - including eligible Slough residents - have been directed to Burnham or Beaconsfield instead. To handle that extra demand, Buckinghamshire Council moved Burnham to seven-day opening for the duration of Langley's closure.
That means the current seven-day schedule is a temporary arrangement, not a permanent change, and the council hasn't published an exact date for when it will revert. Some third-party listings describe a different "normal" pattern for Burnham from before this closure, but that isn't independently confirmed on the council's current page for this site, so this guide doesn't repeat it as fact. The safest approach is to treat the seven-day, 9am-4pm window as correct for now and check the official Burnham recycling centre page again closer to your visit, particularly once Langley's works are reported as finished.
The site is open on all bank holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. There isn't a single published "last admission" time that applies every day - the council's guidance explains that during busy periods, especially weekend afternoons, staff may stop admitting new vehicles before 4pm so that everyone already on site has time to unload and leave before closing. The council notes Saturday and Sunday afternoons as the busiest times, and Tuesday mornings as the quietest, so a Tuesday-morning visit is the more comfortable option if your timing is flexible.
Who can use the site, and what to bring
Residency and proof of address are checked on arrival.
Burnham Recycling Centre is free to use for people who live in Buckinghamshire. To prove that, bring something showing your name and current address - a driving licence or a council tax bill are both accepted. If you don't live in Buckinghamshire, the council charges a fee to use the site rather than turning you away outright; because fee schedules change, check current charges directly with the council before you go rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.
You do not need to book an appointment to visit. That's worth stating plainly because a number of UK councils have moved household recycling centres onto a booking system in recent years, and it's a reasonable thing to check before turning up - Burnham, as currently published, doesn't require one. If you plan to visit on foot rather than by vehicle, the council requires a separate walk-in permit for access to the site.
Vans, trailers and when you need a permit
The rule that catches people out most often.
A standard car doesn't need a permit. But if you're visiting in a van, truck or minibus, Buckinghamshire Council requires a vehicle waste permit arranged in advance - you can't apply for one at the gate. Permits are requested online through the council's waste permit service and issued by email as a QR code that you show on arrival.
Trailers are allowed up to 2.4m long by 1.8m wide and 60cm high, excluding the tow bar. Beyond vehicle size, the council's rules for this site also exclude vehicles with more than four wheels, vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, anything with a tipper or tail lift, and tractors or horseboxes. If your vehicle doesn't meet these rules, staff will turn you away at the gate, so it's worth checking before you load up rather than after.
Burnham does not accept asbestos waste or business and commercial waste. For both, the council directs residents to Beaconsfield recycling centre as the nearest site that takes them.
Accepted waste and what's refused
What Buckinghamshire Council currently lists for this site.
Burnham accepts a broad range of household items for free, including aerosols, batteries, books for reuse, car batteries (up to two per year), carpet, clothing and textiles, coffee pods, cooking oil, fluorescent tubes (up to four per year), furniture (including broken up or dismantled furniture), fridges, cookers and other large electrical appliances, garden waste, gas bottles, general waste, mattresses, hardened paint, paper and cardboard, small electrical appliances, televisions and monitors, waste engine oil (up to 10 litres per year), and vapes. DIY waste is also accepted up to a free weekly allowance if you apply for a DIY waste permit first; beyond that allowance, a fee applies.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Accepted (free, within limits) | Furniture, fridges and large appliances, garden waste, mattresses, batteries, textiles, hardened paint, paper and cardboard, small electricals, TVs and monitors, gas bottles, DIY waste (with permit) |
| Not accepted | Dead animals, carcasses and faeces; large quantities of animal bedding beyond 1-2 bags a week; materials presenting a direct contact risk; tree trunks/branches over 20cm thick or 2m long; flammables and explosives; storage heaters containing asbestos |
| Not accepted at this site specifically | Asbestos waste and business/commercial waste - both directed to Beaconsfield recycling centre instead |
Visit requirements at a glance
What to arrange before you set off, based on Buckinghamshire Council's current published rules for this site.
| Visit requirement | Current rule | What the resident must arrange |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | 9am–4pm, currently seven days a week while Langley Recycling Centre is temporarily closed | Confirm current hours on the council's Burnham page before travelling, as this schedule is temporary |
| Bank holidays | Open on all bank holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day | Avoid planning a visit on those three closed days |
| Last admission | No single fixed cut-off; entry may stop before 4pm on busy days, especially weekend afternoons | Arrive with a margin rather than right at closing time, or visit on a quieter Tuesday morning |
| Booking | Not required for vehicle visits; a walk-in permit is required to access the site on foot | No vehicle appointment needed; arrange a walk-in permit separately if arriving without a vehicle |
| Residency / proof of address | Free for Buckinghamshire residents; non-residents are charged a fee | Bring a driving licence or council tax bill showing your current address |
| Van, truck or minibus | Vehicle waste permit required before arrival | Apply online via the council's waste permit service in advance; permit is emailed as a QR code |
| Trailer | Permitted up to 2.4m long x 1.8m wide x 60cm high, excluding tow bar | Check your trailer meets the size limit before travelling; oversized trailers will be turned away |
| DIY/building waste | Limited free weekly allowance with a DIY waste permit; fees apply beyond that | Apply for a DIY waste permit in advance if the load is from building work rather than general household items |
Rules and hours are set and published by Buckinghamshire Council, not by houseclearance.co - always check the official Burnham recycling centre page before a visit.
When the tip isn't the right tool
A recycling centre is built for car-boot and small-van loads, not a whole property.
Burnham Recycling Centre works well for a genuine car-boot load, a DIY permit's worth of building waste, or a handful of bulky items that don't fit a kerbside collection. It's a different job entirely if you're clearing an entire house or flat - multiple rooms of furniture, white goods and years of accumulated belongings don't fit neatly into permit allowances or a handful of car trips, and large furniture often needs two people and the right vehicle to move safely in the first place. With Burnham currently absorbing extra demand from Langley's closure, trips during peak times may also mean longer waits than usual.
For that kind of job, a licensed clearance carrier collecting directly from the property is usually more practical than multiple trips to a recycling centre - see our guide to responsible disposal for how reputable clearance carriers sort items for reuse, recycling and disposal, and our rubbish removal and waste collection London page if you need a single load taken away rather than a full property clearance.
Frequently asked questions
The questions that come up most often before a visit to Burnham Recycling Centre.
What are the current opening hours at Burnham Recycling Centre?
Buckinghamshire Council's own page for this site currently lists 9am to 4pm, seven days a week. The council's published note explains this seven-day pattern is a temporary arrangement while Langley Recycling Centre is closed for essential works, so it's worth checking the official Burnham page for the latest schedule before you travel, since hours are set to change again once Langley reopens.
Why is Burnham open seven days a week at the moment?
Langley Household Recycling Centre closed on 9 September 2026 for essential drainage works and is expected to reopen before Easter 2027. Buckinghamshire Council has directed residents who'd normally use Langley - including eligible Slough residents - to Burnham or Beaconsfield instead, and moved Burnham to seven-day opening to handle the extra demand for the duration of Langley's closure.
Do I need to book a slot to visit Burnham Recycling Centre?
No. Buckinghamshire Council's guidance states you do not need to book an appointment to visit this site. You can turn up within opening hours, though the council also notes the site is busiest on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and quietest on Tuesday mornings.
Do I need a permit to bring a van or trailer to Burnham?
Yes, if you're visiting in a van, truck or minibus, Buckinghamshire Council requires a vehicle waste permit arranged online in advance. Trailers are allowed up to 2.4m long by 1.8m wide and 60cm high, excluding the tow bar, but vehicles with more than four wheels, anything over 7.5 tonnes, tippers, tail lifts, tractors or horseboxes are not permitted at all, and staff will turn away a vehicle that doesn't meet the rules.
Does Burnham Recycling Centre accept asbestos or business waste?
No. Buckinghamshire Council's page for this site states plainly that Burnham does not accept asbestos waste or business and commercial waste, and points to Beaconsfield recycling centre as the nearest site that accepts both.
Can I take house clearance waste to Burnham Recycling Centre?
General household items, including furniture, are accepted as part of a normal visit, and DIY waste is accepted up to a free weekly allowance if you apply for a DIY waste permit first. If you're clearing an entire property rather than a car or small-van load, a licensed clearance carrier collecting directly from the property is usually more practical than multiple trips to the tip, particularly given the permit and quantity limits that apply here.
Clearing a whole property instead of a van load?
Post your job for licensed carriers to quote on, rather than making multiple trips to the tip.
Request clearance quotes