Introduction
The site is located at 79-85 Beddington Lane (CR0 4TD). This is to the north of Mile Road and the existing Beddington Water Treatment Works and on the west side of Beddington Lane.
It would generate reliable and renewable energy – enough energy to supply gas to up to 8,200 homes – by processing up to 100,000 tonnes of food waste a year from homes and businesses in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
Anaerobic digestion is well-established in the UK and is a reliable technology to transform food waste into renewable energy.
Find out more in our information leaflet or by reading this page and our frequently asked questions.
100,000
tonnes
of food waste will be transformed into enough renewable gas for up to ...
8,200
homes
Why we are proposing to develop an anaerobic digestion facility
The government has a strategy to reduce food waste and put any food that is unused to good use, generating renewable energy and therefore helping achieve its goal to eliminate food waste to landfill by 2030.
Following consultation on the government’s 2021 Environment Bill, it’s expected that homes and businesses will be required to separate and recycle food waste, just like they do for cardboard and glass.
Anaerobic digestion facilities will be key to putting this collected food waste to good use. They do it by turning waste into a renewable and reliable supply of gas, and digestate, a compost‑like soil improver.
What we plan on building
If approved the anaerobic digestion facility would be developed on our Beddington Lane site.
It would be comprised of an enclosed processing building, associated treatment tanks, storage facilities and a two-storey office building with staff parking.
The building will have a maximum height of 16m. The associated treatment tanks and storage facilities will have a maximum diameter of 32m and a maximum height of 17m. The other stacks and infrastructure will be no higher than 18.3m.
The site is currently vacant and is allocated in the South London Waste Plan for waste use.
Existing planning permission
In 2020 SUEZ was granted planning permission for a waste transfer and processing facility, capable of processing 350,000 tonnes of waste a year, on the site. This development has been implemented but not completed.
Rather than develop this consented facility, we are proposing to develop an anaerobic digestion facility instead.
The anaerobic digestion facility would generate renewable energy, process 70% less waste than the consented facility and result in 50% less traffic compared to the consented scheme.
Project timeline
Public consultation
Monday 10 July 2023 – Thursday 31 August 2023
Submission of our planning application
December 2023
Sutton Council considers the application
There will be a further consultation conducted by the council during this period.
Winter 2023/early 2024
Construction to begin if planning permission granted
2024/25
Anaerobic digestion facility is operational
2025/26