VT Group wins planning go-ahead for Wakefield PFI

The Southampton-based firm's subsidiary VT Environmental Engineering (VTEE) received permission last night (November 27) from Wakefield metropolitan district council's planning committee to develop the plant at the former South Kirkby colliery site.

The development of the 240,000 tonnes capacity plant, which is set to include an anaerobic digestion facility and an autoclave, is the key project within VT Group's 25-year contract with the council, which it became preferred bidder for in November 2007 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Commenting on the decision, councillor Clive Hudson, Wakefield council's cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, said: “Granting planning permission for the recycling park at the former South Kirkby site is a big step forward in enabling the Council to deliver its municipal waste management strategy.

“Completion of the waste treatment facilities means the Council will be able to meet its national obligations for reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and increase its recycling levels. We and our PFI partners, VT Environmental Engineering, will continue to consult local people as the plans for the plant move forward,” he added.

Plans

The project, which received £33 million in PFI funding, is expected to be operational by 2011 and includes plans for an anaerobic digestion plant and autoclave facility with a combined capacity of 175,000 tonnes a year, a 20,000 tonne-a-year capacity green waste composting facility and a 35,000 tonne-a-year materials recycling facility, with a total of 240,000 tonnes of household residual and recyclable materials being processed a year.

VT Group also intends to submit further proposals to Wakefield council, which would involve the redevelopment of the existing household waste recycling centre at Denby Dale Road to improve access and efficiency, the redevelopment of the recycling centre at Welbeck in Normanton and a proposal for a new recycling centre near Castleford, at Glasshoughton.

Dave Hobbs, managing director of VTEE, commented: “We are delighted to have received the backing of Wakefield Council for our scheme. This facility will: increase recycling from 26% in 2007/8 to at least 52% by 2015; generate 2.5MW of energy; and divert approximately 85,000 tonnes of rubbish from landfill per year.

“We have worked closely with the council in the development of our plans and we look forward to delivering new facilities which will help the Wakefield District to exceed the Government's target of a 52% recycling rate by 2015,” he added.

The approval of planning permission is the latest step in VT Group's move in to the waste management sector, having previously been better-known within the defence sector. The company, brought autoclave specialist firm Estech Europe in July this year (see letsrecycle.com story) and is believed to be committed to providing a 100,000 tonnes capacity autoclave plant in Hereford.