Although no contract has yet been signed to run the plant, the council hopes that it will help to divert up to 55% of the council's waste from landfill by 2015.
And, by designing the plant in an “aesthetically refined” way, the council hopes to help overcome any public opposition to the development.
Councillor Lewis Strange, County Council executive member for waste, said: “Images of dirty, ugly eyesores burning waste are out of date and misleading. With the internationally-recognised Studio E designing the facility, we are confident and excited that the facility will look sophisticated, clean and innovative. This will be a modern solution with a modern appearance tailored to Lincolnshire”.
Goals
Currently Lincolnshire produces 360,000 annual tonnes of municipal waste, a figure that is rising by 1.7% each year, and only recycles 40% of its waste with the rest going to landfill. With the Government fining councils £150 per tonne for each tonne of waste landfilled outside of their allowance, the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership needed to develop a new waste treatment facility.
The Partnership, made up of the county council and seven district councils, held public consultations on the issue before drafting the county's waste strategy, which opted for a one-off capital investment of £130-150 million in EfW to replace landfilling.
The location for the Energy from Waste facility in North Hykeham, which was first identified in the Local Waste Plan, is situated to the south of Lincoln on Whisby Road, just off the A46, and is next to an existing landfill site.
A waste contractor for the site will be put to tender once planning permission has been granted and is expected to be in place by 2010.
Studio E
Studio E Architects, who formed in 1994, have created a number of Royal Institute of British Architecture award-winning buildings and the London-based company's portfolio also includes Frog Island Waste Management Facility, East London, and the Lochar Moss Refuse Derived Fuel Plant in Dumfries.
Garry Stewart, Studio E director, said: “We are looking forward to working closely with Lincolnshire County Council and the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership to develop a high-quality architectural design for their new EfW facility.”
“With each project, we seek to produce architecture which, while fulfilling its brief and being delivered on time and to budget, moves beyond this to be a life-enhancing and unique place. We create buildings which are both aesthetically refined and environmentally responsible,” he added.
An application for the plant will be submitted later this year with construction intended to begin in 2011 and hopes of going fully operational in 2013. In the meantime, the Waste Partnership is arranging road shows across the county to allow people to find out more about EfW.
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