The facility would be built on the site of the former Skelton Grange Power Station, in the south-east of the city and would generate 26 megawatts of electricity enough for 52,000 homes as well as potential providing heat for neighbouring businesses.
The plant is not intended to take Leeds household waste, as this is currently subject to the procurement that Leeds city council is undertaking with PFI funding support. But, Biffa did note that the plant would be technically capable of taking this material if Leeds decided not to pursue its PFI procurement further.
Biffa secured planning approval last year to build a 200,000 tonne-a-year capacity materials recycling facility for commercial and industrial at nearby Gelderd Road and the company said this would operate in tandem with the EfW plant.
Plans for the EfW were originally unveiled last August, with the aim of submitting a planning application in September 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story), but Biffa explained that this had been delayed by its merger with Greenstar.
Need
Outlining the need for the facility, Biffa pointed towards the 1.2 million tonnes of C&I waste businesses in Leeds produce every year.
Project planning manager Mike Harty said:. We want to supplement, not compete with the increasing local efforts by industry, waste companies such as Biffa and the City Council to reduce, recycle or reuse. But there is still a lot of waste left after this.
Last year Biffa undertook a community consultation exercise advising local residents of its plans and seeking views. As there is no residential development closer than 1.5km of the site the company undertook a leaflet drop to all homes between a 1.5km and 2km radius of
Mr Harty said: Whilst many people supported our plans, inevitably there were others against and we have noted their concerns. Some were unnecessarily alarmed by allegations regarding health impacts which seemed to be based on perceptions of old style incinerators.
Modern ERFs operate under very strict environmental regulations. We hope everyone will accept this and be reassured by the fact that local and national health experts will be consulted as part of the planning process.
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He also highlighted the similarities between the number of vehicles and routes they would use to get to the EfW and those taken to both the current warehousing on site, and the companys landfill in the city.
If approved this year the energy facility could be operational in 2015.
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