The proposed ‘integrated waste management facility’ (IWMF) comprises a 595,000 tonnes per year capacity energy from waste (EfW) plant, a de-inking and paper pulping facility, an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, a material recycling facility (MRF), and a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility.
The IWMF received planning permission from John Denham, then secretary of state for communities for local government, in 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In recent times European waste management company Indaver has indicated its intentions to drop its plans for the paper facility, suggesting it was no longer commercially viable.
A company spokesperson told letsrecycle.com last week that Indaver did not believe it needed to re-apply for planning permission to do so (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, at a meeting of Essex county council’s development and regulations committee on 25 February, councillors voted seven to two in favour to force Indaver to follow through with the full plans and for each element of the IWMF to be operational by 31 December 2026.
Condition 66
The meeting addressed Indaver’s proposals relating to so-called ‘condition 66’ of the original planning permission.
Condition 66 states that Indaver must submit a plan of action for an alternative use or a scheme of rehabilitation for the site if the IMWF is not brought into “beneficial use” within five years of March 2016.
Indaver’s plan contained three options; the first was to complete the project in full, while the second and third would see the company drop certain elements and potentially even increase the size of the EfW plant.
Essex councillors only approved the first option of the plan.
At the meeting, Richard Greaves, chief planning officer at Essex county council, said: “Our view is very much that if something different is proposed to the integrated waste management facility then that requires express planning permission, and no application has been lodged.”
He added: “Even though the developer has stated it’s not their intention to build it all out as permitted, there is no breach of planning control at this point in home.
“It is hoped the developer will continue to liaise with the waste planning authority if they do have alternative plans in the future. We would expect a planning application to be lodged for such.”
Commitment
An Indaver spokesperson told letsrecycle.com: “Indaver is aware of and reviewing the decision made by Essex county council in respect of its application to discharge Condition 66.
“Indaver remains committed to building a beneficial waste management facility at the Rivenhall Airfield site, which meets waste management needs in Essex.”
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