The Kelvin Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), West Bromwich aims to provide both capacity to manage non-recyclable waste and to generate electricity and heat by diverting up to 395,000 tonnes per year of waste from landfill or export with potential to generate up to 35MW of electricity meeting the needs of up to 70,000 homes. The urban location and proposed scale of the project have placed strong emphasis on design as the key to success.
Summary of Stephenson Halliday services:
Consentable scheme design
- We worked closely with Verus Energy to develop a well-designed proposal taking into account onsite constraints, operational requirements and design requirements of the Council
EIA Coordination and management of specialist consultants
- We managed a team of specialist consultants to establish key design constraints and produce a robust Environmental Statement
An effective engagement and Community Consultation process
- We developed the design, through consultation with the LPA’s Planning Officers, Urban Design Officers and Environmental Health Officers, and the local community through the community engagement process
Planning Application submission and post submission support
- We have completed all necessary submission documents and are currently liaising with relevant officers ahead of determination decisions
An iterative design led process was employed which resulted in the creation of a design brief to ensure the ERF represented a visually attractive building, which would drive inward investment to the local area and the wider Black Country. The final design incorporated mitigation measures to reduce potential effects in relation to the key environmental effects associated with the proposal, including: air quality, noise, ecology and landscape and visual.
We have been successful in meeting the design demands with the Urban Design Officer commenting, “It is considered that although the scale and massing of this development will have a significant impact on the surrounding area, the proposal would represent a benchmark for quality for this type of use in the Borough. The general shape of the building with careful arrangement of materials will present a striking building as you move through the elevated section of the motorway…”
