About Newhurst
Biffa's chosen location is the old Newhurst Quarry site near Shepshed, adjacent to the M1 motorway at junction 23, where planning consent already exists for a waste recovery facility and landfill.
Newhurst Aerial View
The new plant will be located along the Eastern side of the quarry site, alongside the M1 and shielded from view by existing trees. Access would be via an improved existing quarry entrance in Ashby Road East, 300 metres from the motorway junction.
This site is allocated in the current Waste Local Plan and is identified within the County's emerging Waste Development Framework as one of three sites in Leicestershire suitable for various waste related uses including energy recovery.
The Newhurst Quarry site already has planning consent for a waste materials recovery and composting plant and landfill restoration of the old quarry. This was granted to Biffa last year and allows the recycling, composting and landfill disposal of 375,000 tonnes of waste per annum.
Whilst these plans are still viable, Biffa is now committed to the utilisation of waste as an energy resource linked to recycling and diversion from landfill. The originally planned landfill and waste recovery/composting plant will not be developed if consent is granted for the new energy recovery facility. The old quarry void would therefore not be used for landfill and the company will seek the views of the local community on possible future uses of this as part of the overall consultation process.