German waste giant starts work on Merseyside plant

The Prescot facility, located at the site of a former of Pirelli Cables & Components plant, will replace Remondis UKs current facility in Blackrod, Bolton which the company says it has outgrown.

The company has set a target of Spring 2013 to have the facility up and running, and expects it to create 70 jobs once completed.

Waste taken to the Prescot facility will be prepared for export for further treatment at Remondis facilities across the continent. Remondis has more than 500 waste management facilities across Europe and in Australia. The company said the plant will be the largest indoor waste management facility in Merseyside.

Planning

Legal firm Stephensons LLP, based in the North West, acted on behalf of the multinational company in acquiring the site for the Prescot facility, as well as overseeing the planning and permitting for the facility.

David Baybut, commercial property partner at Stephensons, said: Remondis is part of one of the largest organisations in the world dealing with the waste management and the recycling industry. This new site will make use of the best available technology in the waste management sector.

There were various barriers to securing ownership of the site, which included satisfying conditions in relation to planning and environmental licenses, site assembly, easements, release of restrictive covenants and varying existing property rights, all of which have now been overcome.

Contracts

A spokesman for Remondis said that the company was currently looking to expand its footprint in the UK. It has already been named on a two bidder shortlist for a waste treatment contract on behalf of Central Bedfordshire council, in partnership with organics recycling specialist New Earth Solutions (see letsrecycle.com story).

Remondis has also partnered with New Earth to bid for a contract to design, build and operate a residual waste treatment facility on behalf of Milton Keynes council. The firms have been named as one of the successful groups on a four bidder shortlist, with the preferred bidder expected to be announced this autumn (see letsrecycle.com story).