The proposed plant is to be run by Riverside Resource Recovery (RRR) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Power Resources Ltd, which already runs power plants using biomass fuels including chicken waste and straw.
 An artist's impression of the proposed Belvedere plant |
The inquiry, taking place at the Marriott Hotel in Bexleyheath, is expected to go on until early October 2003. The intention of RRR is to begin construction of the new plant by the end of 2004 with operations starting up towards the end of 2007.
According to RRR, over the 30-year life of the 72MW plant, an average of 585,000 tonnes of waste will be processed a year, although the maximum capacity will be 835,000 tonnes. The plant will be used to generate enough energy to supply the electricity requirements of over 66,000 homes.
The proposed facility has already been authorised for operation by the Environment Agency with an Integrated Pollution Control permit, and RRR has said it is currently updating this authorisation with an application for a Pollution Prevention Control permit.
Significant
Malcolm Chilton, commercial director at RRR told letsrecycle.com: “This is a very significant public inquiry – not just for this energy from waste facility but all other proposed plants in this country. Certain issues will be decided in this inquiry that are likely to affect other planning inquiries. This is on a much bigger scale than any other inquiry – partly because of the size of the facility, but also because of its strategic importance.”
Mr Chilton said that RRR had done a “tremendous amount of work” to prepare for the inquiry and was calling on 18 expert witnesses to provide evidence. He pointed out that the big issue being overlooked by some opposition groups is that the Belvedere incinerator is “part of a process that is recycling-led”. The RRR commercial director explained that even with recycling stretching beyond future targets, with London's waste generation continuing to grow at 5%, there would be sufficient waste in the catchment area to keep the plant going.
As part of the Belvedere inquiry, Mr Chilton said that the planning inspector would be looking into how London might cope with its waste if the plant is not given the go-ahead.
“The inspector will be examining what London could do with its waste if the plant is not approved. This is an important question that needs to be answered, so I am pleased the inspector is looking into this.”
Western Riverside
The Belvedere plant will form a major component of Cory Environmental's 30-year waste contract with the Western Riverside Waste Authority, which includes the London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, and Wandsworth. The waste from Cory would be residual municipal waste – the material left over after recycling has been carried out.
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