Based near Haresfield, the controversial facility is due to treat 150,000 tonnes of municipal refuse as part of a £500 million contract between Gloucestershire county council and the Spanish-owned firm.
The council and UBB agreed construction of the plant in February 2013, with an initial view for services to be up and running by 2016.
However, the project has suffered from delays when the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was forced to step in and uphold planning permission for the site earlier this year (see letsrecycle.com story). A judicial review launched by Stroud district council to contest development of the site was also rejected in July this year.
Construction is now due to go ahead in March 2016, with full operations not expected until 2019.
A mechanism within the contract means that UBB must set out a revised project plan and timeline following a delay of two years or more – which in turn has resulted in an increase in costs for the county council.
The council’s cabinet today voted to handover a one-off revenue financial contribution of £17 million to UBB in order to see the project through.
The payment will be made through the capital fund to be contributed to the project. This is in addition to the £13 million approved in 2012, which is being funded from the Strategic Waste Reserve.
Value
In spite of this, the council insists that the development still represents value for money, with the contract expected to generate savings of £150 million over its 25-year lifetime.
In addition, the council predicts that the Hempsted landfill site where it currently disposes of its waste will reach full capacity by the end of 2016 while its existing arrangement with Cory will expire in 2018.
Councillor Ray Theodoulou, cabinet member for waste, said: “Disposing of Gloucestershire’s rubbish that can’t be recycled in a clean and efficient way while generating electricity at the same time will save taxpayers money, support our aim of 70% recycling and make a massive reduction in Gloucestershire’s carbon emissions.
“Now the end is in sight, we could finally start work on building the facility that will help us stop burying our household waste in Gloucestershire once and for all.”
Protests
But the decision to pledge the additional £17 million was met with anger by anti-incineration campaign group Glosvain, which organised protests outside the county council Shire Hall building in Gloucester yesterday.
Earlier this month, Green Party leader Natalie Bennett also added her voice to the fray – urging the protestors to ‘keep fighting’ at a meeting at Randwick Village Hall.
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