Sunday 9 October 2011

[Updated] London Borough of Barnet: Moving the Waste Incinerator out of the Borough

The 'Pinkham Way' plant seems identical to the 'Mechanical and Biological Treatment' plant (MBT) that was intended for the A5 Edgware Road, London Borough of Barnet, by Brent Cross shopping centre developer Hammerson. [Link to Opposition report.]

This would have been across the road from housing and a school in the neighbouring borough of Brent. Outline planning permission for this plant has already been granted - by the London Borough of Barnet.

MBT plant on A5 Edgware Road, Cricklewood (looking north
towards Staples Corner/North Circular Road).
[Click to enlarge.]

The MBT plant would create 'incinerator-fuel' [which Pinkham Way would also produce].
This would be sent, via conveyor belt, under the Thameslink railway line behind the plant, to the 'Combined Heat and Power Plant' (CHP), where it would be incinerated (releasing gas, to be burned separately in the same building).

'Illustrative picture' of the incinerator/CHP plant
(strangely lacking the 140-metre approved chimney!)

This plan now seems abandoned. [Because of campaigning?]

An attempt is now being made, under compulsory purchase, for a 'Materials Recycling Facility' (MRF - pronounced "murf") on the Edgware Road site instead. This would be supplied by the boroughs' kerbside recycling lorries, instead of by their dustcarts.



Part of the successful planning application from the Brent Cross developers (mainly Hammerson) on 12 November 2008:

WASTE HANDLING

"The application proposals involve the creation of a new rail-linked Waste Handling Facility [essentially the proposed Pinkham Way building, with railway sidings] on a site adjacent to the A5 [Geron Way, off Edgware Road; originally the Roman Road, Watling Street]. The existing facility will not be closed, until a new facility has been constructed. [The current plant just loads domestic rubbish on to trains, which then travel to Calvert in Buckinghamshire.]

Evening Standard image
(the incinerator is south-west of the shopping centre)

"The waste facility is likely to be operated through a new contract, yet to be awarded by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA). The 'Development Partners' [in 2010, Multiplex gave up, just leaving Hammerson south of the North Circular Road; typical for the shambles that is Brent Cross, their web site still said 'Multiplex' for another year] are in advanced discussions with the Authority, regarding the design, specification and programme of this facility. [It's moved to Pinkham Way. Ask the NLWA to explain.]

"Key elements of the specification proposed by the Development Partners are that the Waste Handling Facility:
  • will be connected directly to the Combined Heat and Power plant [incinerator]
  • should be designed to manufacture a 'Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)' [no known difference from Pinkham Way's 'Solid Recovered Fuel' - you can call it what you like! There is more here.] from residual municipal waste, suitable for use in the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant [incinerator], to be constructed as part of the development [further east, near Brent Cross shopping centre];
  • will produce sufficient fuel to meet the requirements of the CHP, when it is fully operational [serving the 150 hectares, made up of 14-million-square-feet of development over 20 years].

Click above to enlarge
(the 'Pinkham Way MBT waste plant' at Brent Cross - 
Hammerson, the site developer, described initial heat treatment of 
residual waste "at up to 700 degC.", and "there could be a stack".)

 "Negotiations are continuing with the NLWA, concerning these and other aspects of an agreed specification and programme for developing the Waste Handling Facility (WHF).

"... The [incinerator] stack will be a maximum height of 140-metres above finished ground level, ... with a [CHP] building size of 65 by 45 metres, and 45 metres high.

"... If RDF from the WHF [for the CHP!] is not available, an alternative fuel source would be used, which is likely to be natural gas. ... The development partners [would then] consider the use of free-standing wind turbines."



Link to pre-approval 'Estates Gazette'
video at Hendon Town Hall

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