GMWDA waste no time securing planning applications

GMWDA

Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) working in partnership with nine of the Greater Manchester districts and Viridor Laing Greater Manchester (VLGM) Limited has had success with securing planning applications for reconstruction and redevelopment of 23 sites for 36 facilities across Greater Manchester.

This success forms part of their recently signed 25 year waste and recycling contract, the largest in Western Europe, to provide new and improved facilities in Manchester and the surrounding regions, including Rochdale.

The first application was applied for in 2007 with the final application being granted in May. Securing planning applications has enabled on site work to start immediately and maintain the construction programme.

Planning approvals were applied for a range of facilities to bring the latest technology to Greater Manchester. The technology being constructed consists of:

Six Transfer Loading Stations will receive both recyclable and non recyclable waste from local collections, ready to be sent on for reprocessing.

Two Green Waste Shredding Facilities will shred green waste and prepare it for efficient transport to a composting facility, helping Greater Manchester divert more of its waste from landfill.

Four In-Vessel Composting facilities to treat garden and kitchen waste.

One Materials Recovery Facility to sort kerbside collected recyclable materials.

17 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), there will be major overhaul of the current network of HWRCs including proposed new sites and modernised facilities.

Five Mechanical Biological Treatment, with Anaerobic Digestion facilities, for dry recyclable materials will help Greater Manchester generate green energy and divert more waste from landfill.

One Thermal Power Station, residual waste that cannot be recycled will be processed into a fuel for use by a North West major chemicals producer Ineos Chlor to provide energy for its plant at Runcorn, Cheshire. The fuel will feed a new combined Heat and Power plant producing electricity and steam to replace energy currently generated from non-renewable sources.

The technologies will assist in improving recycling levels and recovery of household waste to make Greater Manchester a more sustainable environment as well as providing 5,000 new jobs for the economy.

Throughout the planning process VLGM and GMWDA undertook a wide range of public consultations on each of the proposals to ensure householders and the local media were aware of the facilities that were being developed in their local area. Close liaison with local stakeholders will be maintained to ensure facilities are delivered as required.

All facilities will be completed by 2012 and will reduce waste diverted to landfill and will be able to recycle and compost at least 50% of all waste.

Councillor Neil Swannick Chair of GMWDA stated “We are delighted to have secured all 23 planning applications for our facilities in Greater Manchester, this is an incredible success especially within this timeframe, this shows strong commitment and excellent partnership.”

GMWDA are now moving forward with the construction work already under way at 14 sites.