An East London waste site owned and operated by Bywaters could become a residential complex – after the recycling business secured planning permission to redevelop the land this month (8 November).
Waltham Forest council’s planning committee approved Bywaters’ outline application to redevelop the 4.9-hectare Gateway Road site in Leyton, which houses a waste transfer station and household waste recycling centre.
An aerial view of Bywaters’ Gateway Road facility in Leyton, which houses a transfer station, storm water tanks and HWRC
In its place, the council has green lit a 730-home mixed-use development, which will consist of ten blocks between two to 15 storeys high.
The plans, which were outlined in a report to the committee, also make a provision for 21% affordable housing and a new primary school.
Leyton
Gateway Road in Leyton is one of two main sites operated by Bywaters, a regional waste business which provides collection and processing of municipal and commercial waste in the city.
Bywaters, which moved its business there in 1983, is permitted to treat up to 150,000 tonnes of black bag and construction waste per year at the site.
The majority of Bywaters’ business is now handled via its flagship materials recycling facility (MRF) in Bromley-by-Bow – which was officially opened by then Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2008. The MRF underwent a further £4.5 million expansion in 2010 effectively doubling treatment capacity (see letsrecycle.com story).
John Glover, managing director of Bywaters, told letsrecycle.com that the environmental permit at Bow had been extended from 500,000 tonnes to 650,000 tonnes per year to prepare for the extra influx of material that will come from selling the Leyton site.
Bywaters’ recycling operation is carried out at its Lea Riverside MRF in nearby Bow
He continued that discussions had arisen as Waltham Forest council wanted to build residential properties on land adjacent to the site, along which Bywaters and the authority share a boundary.
The company is currently engaged in how it will alter the Bow MRF – and is ‘actively seeking’ another London site for waste in the future. Mr Glover does not expect operations to stop at Leyton within the next 12 months.
In its planning report, the council note that ‘significant costs’ will be incurred by redeveloping the land due to relocation of Thames Water storm water tanks situated at the site as well as the associated cost of relocating the waste business to Bow.
Investment
Commenting on the planning committee’s decision, Mr Glover said: “The redevelopment of the Gateway Road site will continue the ongoing process of bringing more investment into Leyton. We are extremely pleased that Waltham Forest Planning Committee recognises the benefits the scheme will bring to the area, including 730 new homes and 4,500 sq m of new commercial space. These promise to activate the local area, and create more footfall for local businesses.
“Once the development is built out it will deliver much-needed homes in the local area and help to create a thriving business community with space designed for SMEs and entrepreneurs. The entire development will constitute a scheme the whole of Leyton and Waltham Forest will be proud of.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
