Bidders vie to build waste site

More than 30 companies are interested in building a county waste treatment facility, which could include a controversial incinerator.

They will now bid for the contract to divert about half Leicestershire's rubbish away from landfill sites from 2015.

Leicestershire County Council has been courting companies for the past year to encourage them to bid for the contract.

It has culminated in a bidders' event at Loughborough University in October, attended by 48 companies.

They included waste-disposal giants Biffa, Veolia and Lafarge as well as smaller businesses.

Since then, 31 have contacted the council to express an interest in the project.

They have about two years to work up the proposals before a preferred bidder is chosen in April 2010.

A planning application for a site and the technology used will be submitted in April 2011, and, if approved, work would start in April 2012. The site would open three years later. Councillor Nicholas Rushton, cabinet member for waste, said: "It is very good news, I just hope the 31 provide a good spread of technologies for us to consider.

"I know that there have been councils where only three or four have come forward, so it shows how attractive the project is.

"No decision has been made on the facility or the site.

"It is up to companies to find the solution."

Land in Bardon, which was bought by the council this year, would be offered to private companies for development.

However, waste businesses would also have the choice of using Whetstone tip, or to come up with their own location.

Protesters have started a campaign in north west Leicestershire to prevent any waste site coming to their area.

The campaign has been backed by local MP David Taylor, who said: "If this was built in Bardon, it would damage the area economically, environmentally and socially."

County Hall has found that the best option to reduce the rubbish it buries would be to incinerate it.

However, the council says no final decision has been made, and that it is up to the companies to offer their solutions.

Council studies found that the only other viable option would be to have a ball mill, which sorts household waste mechanically, similar to the one in Beaumont Leys, in Leicester.

Leicestershire County Council's opposition leader, Councillor Matthew O'Callaghan, said the views of residents must not be ignored in this process.

He said: "It is important that cost is not the overriding consideration in this process.

"Environmental and community concerns must form a fair part of the decision."