Pickles Backs Surreys Eco Park

7 December 2011

Plans to build an Eco Park at Charlton Lane, Shepperton have been given the go ahead by Government after public enquiry consideration

Planning permission for the development was agreed in June 2011 subject to conditions. It was then referred to Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to decide whether to hold a public inquiry to consider the planning application - a routine requirement for applications of this type.

Pickles has now confirmed that that Surrey County Council can take the decision to grant planning permission, which is a critical stage in developing the Eco Park.

Once planning permission has been granted, the next steps will be to obtain an environmental permit from the Environment Agency and gain consent to divert an existing footpath, alongside the development of detailed designs.　

Construction is expected to get underway in autumn 2012. Prior to that work to improve the existing waste site, which was approved in an earlier planning application, will get underway. This is due to start in spring 2012 and will include work on the entrance to improve access to the site and ease congestion.

Designed to blend in with its Green Belt surroundings, the Eco Park plans to divert as much waste as possible from landfill and produce renewable energy from the waste that cannot be recycled. It would be the first of its kind in the UK and include gasification and anaerobic digestion facilities alongside the existing community recycling centre, in order to further reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

The Charlton Lane site has been chosen for the Eco Park because it provides an opportunity to improve an existing waste facility, which is located to serve a significant proportion of Surrey's population.　　　

www.surreywaste.co.uk

Darrel Moore