Project – The 3R’s @ Fryers Road, Walsall

OVERVIEW

BH EnergyGap propose to develop a Resource Recovery and Renewable Energy Facility at Fryers Road, Walsall. This is called the 3Rs Facility. The proposal will result in the regeneration of a long vacant, brownfield site and create long term sustainable employment and inward investment. BH EnergyGap already has planning permission for the scheme, but is now bringing forward a new, improved proposal that necessitates the submission of a new planning application for the facility.

Key Facts

• Capacity to treat mixed commercial, industrial and municipal waste
• Diversion of the treated waste from landfill
• Generation of energy from the waste
• Export up to circa 44 Megawatts of electricity – a significant proportion of which is renewable
• Sufficient power to meet the needs of approximately 90,000 homes
• Site staff of circa 50 permanent positions
• A construction period of around 3 years
• A peak of circa 450 construction site staff, with opportunities for local suppliers and contractors
• Potential for energy supply to local heat and power users

There is a real need for the 3R facility to:

• Deliver more sustainable waste management within Walsall and the Black Country
• Provide robust energy generation infrastructure
• Contribute towards the UK’s climate change objectives
• Deliver significant long-term inward investment and create new jobs
• Regenerate a large, vacant brownfield site

DEVELOPMENT

Site history

The site is located in the heart of a major industrial estate off Fryers Road, Walsall and has a long industrial history including coal mining, metal processing and landfill. The site already has an existing planning approval to build a waste recovery and combined heat and power plant facility similar to that now proposed.

A better solution – the new proposal

A planning application has been submitted for an amended design of the Resource Recovery and Renewable Energy Production facility (The 3Rs facility). The proposal will take residual commercial and industrial waste or similar waste types and recover energy from it using modern thermal treatment. The resulting energy will be used to produce electricity and potentially heat for export from the site. These activities will provide a sustainable alternative to landfill disposal, the use of fossil fuels and of primary materials.

PLANNING

A new planning application has been submitted to Walsall Council to enable the development of this site to achieve a more workable and viable facility,. See summary details and key documents below:

Key benefits:

• Improved architectural design of the building
• More construction phase employment and higher quality permanent jobs
• Opportunities for education and training
• Increased energy, including renewable energy, generation
• Additional environmental features such as electric vehicle charging points
• Increased capital investment within the area

Traffic

Vehicles related to the development will arrive from the south from Leamore Lane and along Fryers Road. The waste reception operations will occur during the period 07.30 – 19.00 hours Monday to Friday and 07.30 – 13.00 hours on Saturdays. These are the same periods as currently permitted within the existing planning permission. Vehicle movements are unlikely to occur during traditional peak periods, and not all of the vehicles will necessarily be new to the area anyway, as some will already be servicing local businesses. The overall number of vehicles serving the site will be no greater than that associated with the scheme that already has planning permission on the site.

Architecture

The new proposal benefits from a significantly enhanced architectural solution. It has been designed as a clean, modern building which will fit well within the setting of the industrial estate and set a benchmark for all future developments in the area.

The approvals process

The revised proposal for the 3Rs facility is the subject of a full planning application to Walsall Council. The application includes several documents one of which will be an Environmental Statement, which will include the following assessments:

• Landscape and Visual Impact
• Noise Effects
• Air Quality
• Human Health Risk
• Ecology and Nature Conservation
• Ground Conditions and Contaminated Land
• Surface Waters and Flood Risk
• Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
• Socio-Economics

Once the new planning application has been accepted by Walsall Council, there will be a statutory public consultation period where interested parties and individuals can make comments on the scheme to the Council. The Council, in determining the application, is required to give due regard to all submissions received.

To operate the facility, as well as requiring planning permission from the Council, various other approvals and permits will need to be obtained. The most significant of these is an Environmental Permit issued and regulated by the Environment Agency. The purpose of the Environmental Permit is to ensure that the development does not give rise to risks to health or the environment.

Non Technical Summary               Non Technical Summary 2019

Planning Statement                        Planning Statement 2019

General Questions & Answers     Q&A Aug 2019

Main Report                                    Main Report 2019

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