In its long-awaited final report today (July 1), the Commission unanimously concluded that the option to build another runway at the northwest side of Heathrow “presents the strongest case” for increasing the UK’s airport capacity “and offers the greatest strategic and economic benefits”.
But, as reported by letsrecycle.com in November 2014 (see letsrecycle.com story), the nearby Lakeside EfW plant in Colnbrook – a joint venture between Grundon Waste Management and Viridor – sits within the area proposed for the additional Heathrow runway.
Grundon also has a materials recycling facility (MRF), waste transfer station, clinical waste incinerator plant and offices on the same site – all of which are threatened by a third Heathrow runway.
Lakeside EfW
Opened in 2010, the 410,000 tonnes per year capacity Lakeside EfW facility takes in residual waste from local businesses and a number of councils, including Slough, Wiltshire and Poole councils in Dorset, as well as a substantial tonnage for the West London Waste Authority.
And, today’s report states that while the EfW facility is “not of national importance” it nevertheless “plays a significant role in regional and local waste management and has a valuable capability to process clinical waste and other contaminated material”.
The Commission therefore recommends that the plant is demolished and relocated elsewhere to make way for the third Heathrow runway, and that the process of planning a provision of an alternative facility “should begin as soon as possible”.
This is because, the report explains, building a new EfW plant “would be a substantial exercise in its own right, whose timescales are not substantially shorter than the delivery of new runway infrastructure”.
Set up by the government in 2012, the Commission had considered three schemes for UK airport capacity expansion: a third runway at Heathrow; extending the existing northern runway at Heathrow; and building a second runway at Gatwick Airport in Sussex.
Compared to the issue of replacing the Lakeside EfW under the third Heathrow runway scheme, today’s report states that “neither of the other schemes has a similar interaction with an infrastructure asset of this scale”.
The delivery challenges associated with expansion at Heathrow Airport – including the challenge of replacing the EfW plant – are also “greater than at Gatwick Airport but are not considered unusual for an infrastructure project of this scale”.
The report concludes: “While the extended northern runway scheme has some advantages in terms of delivery, particularly the fact that it does not require the relocation of the energy from waste plant, this is counter-balanced by the innovative nature of the runway proposal. On balance, the Commission does not consider that the delivery risks are substantially different between the two Heathrow schemes.”
Grundon and Viridor
Grundon and Viridor today confirmed they are currently in detailed discussions with Heathrow Airport and Slough borough council about plans “to ensure the long-term sustainability and continuity of the energy from waste plant at Colnbrook”.
A spokeswoman for the joint venture said: “Grundon Waste Management is also involved in these discussions, because the company’s materials recovery facility, waste transfer station, clinical waste plant and offices, are co-located on the same landholding.
“The publication of the Davies Report is simply the next stage in the process – the government still has to indicate its preferred option. It is therefore inappropriate for either Grundon or Lakeside to comment in any further detail at this time.”
Government decision
Led by Sir Howard Davies, the Commission believes expanding Heathrow would generate up to £147 billion in GDP impacts over 60 years, provide around 40 new destinations from the airport and more than 70,000 new jobs by 2050.
The Prime Minister has said the government will make a final decision on UK airport capacity expansion by the end of the year.
However, today’s report is a potential headache for the PM, as several high profile cabinet members – including London Mayor and MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip Boris Johnson – are vociferously opposed to any expansion of Heathrow Airport.
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