A new community compost project hopes to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

The Brighton Community Compost Centre, which opens next month, will collect hundreds of bags of green waste from householders and convert it into top quality compost for use in gardens and allotments across the city.

Jon Walker, who has coordinated the project for Stanmer Organics at Stanmer Park, said: "About 25 per cent of rubbish in this country is green waste.

"It contributes to the huge methane problems at landfill sites and is fast filling up sites that don't have much space left.

The project is backed by Brighton and Hove City Council and was awarded £119,900 in National Lottery funding late last year.

The money paid for a shredder, tractor and compost turner.

Mr Walker said he hoped to create about 1,000 tonnes of compost each year by shredding hundreds of bags of branches, hedge cuttings and grass clippings and laying them out in 50-metre long lines called windrows.

Enzymes, bacteria and organisms living in the soil will break down the organic matter into particles, giving off heat in the process. It is expected the compost heaps at Stanmer will reach temperatures as high as 60 degrees.

It will take two or three months to complete the process but Mr Walker wants to experiment with other composting methods, such as adding certain bacteria to accelerate the process and using large steel canisters called rockets to ensure the composting material remains at a constant temperature.

Members of the public will be invited to join a compost club whereby they will receive free compost in return for donating their green waste.

Mr Walker said he was in discussion with waste contractor Onyx to see if the project could leave biodegradable sacks for people to use at Brighton and Hove's two household recycling sites in Old Shoreham Road and Wilson Avenue.

Mr Walker said: "I hope this will become a valuable resource for both students at university and school children to learn about what we can do to help the environment."

The centre will officially open next Saturday. For more information or to volunteer, call 07795 821916 or email bccc@cooptel.net