** THIS CONSULTATION HAS NOW CLOSED**

THE FOLLOWING CONTENT REMAINS FOR INFORMATION ONLY

Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Incineration Treatment Facility at Duncrue Pass, Belfast. 

Welcome

Welcome to the Online Community Consultation by United Energy in respect of a prospective planning application to develop a new Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Incineration Treatment Facility at Duncrue Pass, Belfast.
The purpose of this Online Consultation process is to engage with the local community about the proposed scheme for an energy recovery facility. We hope this will help provide the local community with an understanding of the proposed scheme and we are hoping to hear some feedback, which in turn will help to inform the application process.
Please take some time to browse the information on display and provide us with your thoughts via the Feedback Form further below.

ABOUT THE PROPOSAL

SUMMARY

United Energy intends to submit a planning application to develop a new Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Plant to create an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at Duncrue Pass, Belfast.

This development will involve the change of use of an existing waste management facility and adjoining plant hire business to create a new waste disposal installation for the incineration of healthcare and hazardous waste streams to recover energy for re-use.
The facility will be capable of receiving and treating up to 20,000 tonnes of healthcare and hazardous waste each year that would otherwise be destined for disposal in landfill sites or treatment facilities in mainland UK.

Click HERE to view information About The Proposal

THE NEED FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT

There is a demonstrable need for the development of a local sustainable disposal solution for health care wastes generated within both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The current treatment technology for healthcare waste in Northern Ireland is limited to steam sterilisation, followed by landfilling. Some healthcare wastes are not suitable for this process and have to be exported for incineration. Consequently, there is an urgent need for suitable facility to handle this waste in Northern Ireland.

Approximately 45,000 tonnes of healthcare waste is generated in Ireland annually. In addition to this there are significant quantities of other hazardous wastes that are generated as well and the majority of this is exported from Ireland to other countries for treatment or disposal.
Looking forward we require a robust solution to deal with these types of waste to reduce reliance on export to other countries and reduce the risks from transport and haulage of the waste.

The absence of this suitable treatment facility in Northern Ireland leaves us vulnerable to increases in haulage costs, changes in the regulatory regime and issues regarding delays in the export of these wastes. A local solution to the treatment of this waste is urgently needed to provide secure sustainable long term solutions for our community.

THE SITE

The site encompasses Units 1 and 2 Duncrue Pass, Belfast, BT3 9BS and is situated in the west of Belfast Harbours Estates, on the corner of Duncrue Pass and Duncrue Place as illustrated in the image below.

The site situated within the Duncrue Industrial Estate, within the wider Belfast Harbour Estate and is surrounding by a range of commercial and industrial uses.

Click HERE to view further information About The Site

The site extends to almost 1hectare and is currently split into the two plots:
• Part of the site comprising ‘Unit 1’ is currently in use as a waste management facility and operated by Ace Bates Skip Hire and is licenced to revised up to 100,000 tonnes of waste per year.
• The remaining part of the site ‘Unit 2’ is currently in use by Speedy Hire, which is a plant hire business. It was granted planning permission for the change of use to extend the waste management facility earlier this year in 2021.

Therefore. the entire site already has planning permission for a waste operation.
The site is posited in this major industrial zone of Belfast, which is positioned by M2 Motorway and is strategically located to service the All-Island market for the treatment of wastes produced in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

WHAT’S PROPOSED

The proposal is to develop a new Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Plant to create an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
The proposed development will involve the change of use and redevelopment of the existing waste management facility and adjoining plant hire business to create a new waste disposal installation for the incineration of healthcare and hazardous waste streams.

The proposed Plans can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

Click HERE to view The Proposed Plans

The proposal will have an annual intake capacity of circa 20,000 tonnes of healthcare and hazardous wastes and will generate an energy output capacity of up to 10MW of heat with potential for conversion to up to 4MW of electricity. The input wastes streams will principally include healthcare wastes from hospitals, pharmacies, care homes, dentists, veterinary practices and other healthcare providers and quantity of wastes from shipping and aviation industries. The facility will also treat other hazardous wastes that are currently exported for recovery as part of the activity.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

At the end of this Consultation period the applicant intends to submit this planning application to Belfast City Council. In the meantime, we are keen to hear the views of the local community and are carrying out this Consultation to help inform the design process prior to submission of the planning application later this year.
We want to be a good neighbour and engage with local people in relation to this proposed development. We believe that feedback from local community is key to ensuring that this development meets the needs of the local area and enhances the local community. Please take a few moments to complete the consultation form below.

FEEDBACK FORM

** THIS CONSULTATION HAS NOW CLOSED**
NO FURTHER FEEDBACK WILL BE RECEIVED