Norfolk Waste to Energy Facility Awarded £91 Million WI Grant

19 January 2012

The controversial waste to energy and recycling facility proposed for the Willows site at Saddlebow, King's Lynn has been awarded £91 million Waste Infrastructure (WI) grant - previously known as PFI Credits.

According to the Norfolk County Council, The Promissory Note provides an unconditional guarantee from HM Treasury to pay the grant, in instalments, once the new waste treatment service is fully up and running.

The decision to award the grant follows sustained opposition from both the public and local councillors and officials.

However, in a letter to Norfolk County Council Leader, Derrick Murphy, Caroline Spelman, the Secretary of State explained that local opposition is not, in itself, unusual in major energy from waste projects and is something which the planning system is well placed to weigh in reaching its judgement on whether the project should proceed.

According to Spelman, the relevant criterion Defra's waste infrastructure credits does not require support for the project itself at local level, but rather a broad consensus on a recognised long-term waste management strategy and that the project is consistent with that strategy.

"We consider that 'broad consensus' does allow for some dissent and does not in particular require unanimity amongst the interested local authorities," added Spelman.
Reacting to the letter sent to Murphy, Bill Borrett, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, said: "We are pleased the Government has decided to support this project, which is of significant strategic importance for the people of Norfolk, and that the Secretary of State is satisfied that it meets her criteria for a grant."

Borrett added that the grant represents the largest amount of central Government funding for a single project that Norfolk County Council has ever received, and also reflects the Government's opinion that projects such as this will help the country meet its European landfill diversion targets.

Cllr Borrett added: "This is another, very positive step forward for this important project, but with the planning and Environmental Permitting processes underway, and contract arrangements for the new service still to be finalised, there is still some way to go.

In October 2010, Cory Environmental and U.S. based waste to energy company, Wheelabrator Technologies were chosen as preferred bidder for the project, which Cory.

According to Cory, the project will treat 170,000 tonnes of residual waste from Norfolk households and 98,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste each year - waste which is currently being landfilled - and use it as a resource to generate enough electricity to power 36,000 homes - a town twice the size of King's Lynn.

However, the council said that negotiations over the contract for the proposed new service are continuing and the contract will be awarded when all the legal and financial processes have been finalised.

The council further added that both the waste to energy facility and recycling centre still need to secure planning permission and an Environmental Permit - from the Environment Agency - before it can be built and operate.


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