The proposed scheme

MVV Environment Ltd

MVV Environment Ltd is a subsidiary of a German company specialising in waste management and energy. It has more than 45 years experience in building and operating waste management facilities.

The company has proposed a high efficiency energy from waste facility with a capacity of 245,000 tonnes per year. The plant will provide heat and electricity directly to the Devonport Royal Naval Dockyard under a long term energy supply agreement, with any surplus electricity going to the National Grid.

This combined heat and power energy supply arrangement will provide significant environmental sustainability benefits to the Partnership and Naval Base. MVV are guaranteeing to divert 97 per cent of the partnership's residual waste from landfill and the solution will result in saving the equivalent of over 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year compared with our current waste treatment arrangement.

Design

To develop the design of the facility MVV have engaged with various bodies including the South West Design Review Panel. The plans have evolved as a result of this feedback and through public consultation and feedback from roadshows and exhibitions.

The design will be finalised as part of MVV's discussion with the local planning authority (Plymouth City Council) through the planning application approval process.

Location

The proposed plant will be situated in the Dockyard's North Yard, within the Weston Mill area of the Naval Base bordering Blackies Wood. The facility will be outside of the Ministry Of Defence security fenced perimeter and have its own access arrangements. MOD security requirements will not be affected by the plant's operation.

Finance

After a long period of uncertainty regarding waste disposal, the proposed energy from waste scheme will provide a solution for the next 25 to 30 years. The proposal will reduce waste disposal costs for the three local authorities and provides excellent value for money for local council tax payers.

Through working together, the partnership has secured £95 million of Private Funding Initiative (PFI) credits from Defra to assist with funding the project, which is worth £177 million over the life of the contract. Measured against the initial estimate for a new solution, the contract with MVV, including PFI credit support, will save the partnership authorities around £566m over its 25 year duration.

The Government's PFI programme is an established way of funding major capital projects and has been used widely around the UK. It enables key delivery and operational risks to be transferred to the specialist private sector, which is best able to manage them.

Incinerator Liaison Committee (ILC)

In May 2011 MVV set up a Local Liaison Committee (LLC) to promote communications and the discussion of issues relating to the construction and operation of the facility.

This committee was initially known as the Local Liaison Committee, however a similarly named committee already exists linked to Devonport Naval Base so the name was changed.

The ILC includes residents, community groups and other interested parties. The committee will not only meet throughout the planning stage, but if the proposal goes ahead - also during the construction and the 25 year operation of the plant. For further information and minutes of the ILC meetings please visit the MVV website.

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