Rapid Planning Success for Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park

Environmental and planning support from SLR (UK) has helped AmeyCespa secure a green-light for its Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park (MKWRP) project – just 11 weeks after submission of the planning application.  

MKWRP will have the capacity to process up to 140,000tpa of municipal, industrial and commercial residual waste and will generate approximately 7MW of renewable energy – 5.8MW of which will be exported to the National Grid.

The facility, which forms part of AmeyCespa’s solutions to meet its Milton Keynes waste contract, will comprise Mechanical Treatment, a combined Anaerobic Digestion (AD) In-Vessel Composting system and an Advanced Thermal Treatment Facility, as well as a visitor centre, offices and weighbridge.

SLR provided technical support to AmeyCespa as part of their successful bid for this contract and subsequently developed the planning application and Environmental Statement on behalf of AmeyCespa.

The planning application was submitted at the end of April with Milton Keynes Council’s Development Control Committee granting permission mid-July – a determination period of just 11 weeks.

SLR Principal, Chris Herbert, who led the project said: “Following submission we received no objections from consultees and no formal requests for additional information – which demonstrates the high standard and thoroughness of our planning and technical work which informed this submission.”

Tim Marks, Planning Manager for AmeyCespa said: “I am delighted with the high quality and comprehensive nature of SLR’s planning submission which has meant we have delivered the planning permission for this innovative waste management solution for Milton Keynes ahead of schedule.”

Construction is expected to start next year with the Milton Keynes facility becoming operational in 2016.