The company gained permission from the Scottish Executive to build on the site at Westfield central Fife. The decision follows a public enquiry held over the summer after the proposals were originally rejected by Fife council.
Alba's proposals for the site, which will serve central Scotland, include investment in a materials recovery facility, a composting plant, aggregate recycling and a landfill site for the residual waste.
When operational, Alba claims this will be the UK's largest fully integrated waste management facility able to process 500,000 tonnes a year of household, commercial and industrial waste.
Alba's managing director, Ken Morin said: “This is a significant development and what we believe to be the only such fully integrated facility in the UK. It presents us and Scotland with a unique opportunity to make a major contribution toward meeting the ambitious recycling and waste diversion targets facing Scottish councils.”
The 400 hectare site was formerly an opencast mine and is already served by a rail link. Alba has included a comprehensive regeneration and restoration of the site which involves creating ecological and geological areas of interest with public access.
There are also plans to develop a sustainable business park on the site to use the materials recovered from the waste facility and will include a visitor and education centre.
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