Householders may be offered the chance to have their garden waste collected for recycling.

An environmental project is trying to set up a community compost centre that would arrange to pick up green materials from homes in Brighton and Hove.

Stanmer Organics, based in a 17-acre site near Stanmer Park, Brighton, would turn the products into compost which it would offer for sale.

The group wants to apply for a £200,000 grant from the government body, the Community Recycling Economic Development Programme.

First it needs the approval of Brighton and Hove City Council, which collects other materials for recycling but not garden waste.

The Stanmer Community Compost Centre would offer discounted compost and free deliveries to community food projects, allotments, school garden projects and eco-clubs.

It would run work placements, volunteer programmes and workshops.

Project co-ordinator Jon Walker said: "It is a bit of a first for Brighton. It is a great project."

At the moment, householders can put out materials such as plastic and glass to be collected through the council's regular black box recycling scheme and can take garden waste to the tip.

Under Stanmer's system, they could call the centre when they had built up a collection of waste for it to be collected.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "In principle the council does support this.

"It is a great idea but Stanmer Park is a sensitive environment.

"We are looking at the bid closely and it is in discussion.

"There should be a decision by the end of the month."