Press release - Dec 02, 2011 09:00 AM

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

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.

Mr 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.

Gareth Phillips, planning manager at SITA UK, said: “Following confirmation that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will not hold a public inquiry to consider the planning application for an Eco Park at Charlton Lane, Shepperton, we are delighted that we can now move forward with the development.

“Surrey needs this facility to deal with household waste in the most populated northern part of the county. Landfill tax is increasing at the rate of £8 per tonne per year and at present Surrey County Council is spending £600,000 a month on landfill tax alone.

"When the Eco Park is built Surrey will have a facility that is capable of generating electricity from waste that is currently going to landfill."