SUEZ pushes forward with appeal to turn food waste into green energy at Beddington Lane
The proposed facility would process up to 100,000 tonnes of food waste from households and businesses each year – generating enough reliable, renewable gas to power up to 8,200 homes. This will help tackle London’s growing food waste challenge, while supporting the UK’s energy security and reducing carbon emissions.
London currently generates around 2 million tonnes of food waste annually, yet less than a quarter of that is treated within the capital. With Simpler Recycling rules due to roll out to all households by next year and the urgent need for more processing capacity, the proposals would ensure that food waste from the local area is put to good use in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
In a boost for green skills, the facility would create around 40 temporary jobs during construction and up to 21 permanent positions once operational – all on a site already allocated for waste use in the South London Waste Plan.
The facility’s layout and features have been designed to meet top-tier European safety standards, embedded by SUEZ’s culture of proactive risk management and continuous improvement, led by in-house specialists.
Tim Hughes, Project Development Manager at SUEZ, said: “SUEZ is committed to delivering a state-of-the-art facility that supports London and the UK’s environmental ambitions.
“We recognise the importance of community confidence, especially around safety, and know that new developments can raise concerns. That’s why we’ve put robust measures in place to reassure residents – directly addressing Sutton Council’s reasons for refusal.
“The site layout has passed safety assessments with no objections from statutory bodies. Vehicle movements will be significantly lower than previously approved plans and kept away from Beddington Village, while odour will be tightly controlled through advanced suppression systems.
“We are confident that the Planning Inspectorate will recognise the benefits of the proposals in providing a sustainable, safe solution to tackle London’s food waste challenge, and we look forward to engaging with them as part of the appeal process.”