Edmonton incinerator delayed by spiralling costs

The new Edmonton incinerator had been expected to open in 2025

High costs and labour shortages could delay the opening of the new Edmonton incinerator by two years, according to officials.

The redevelopment at Edmonton Eco Park started in September 2022 and was expected to open in 2025.

But the NLWA, which is leading the project, said the incinerator will not be fully up and running until 2027, because of a "challenging period" for the construction industry.

The new incinerator was designed to replace the existing, ageing waste-burning facility.

Global inflation, rising labour costs and expensive construction materials have all been blamed by the NLWA for the delays.

Material costs are around 40% higher than they were in 2020, despite recent falls in price, while a shortage in skilled workers has made it "significantly more expensive" to hire them, it added.

The cost of shipping appears to also be rising once again, as tension in the Middle East continues to cause disruption in the Red Sea.

The rise in costs has seen the overall budget for the incinerator and other new waste facilities at Edmonton Eco Park increase from £1.2bn to £1.5bn.

Construction firm Acciona, which was awarded the contract in 2021 to build it, has also faced "continued" delays in bringing in subcontractors for the next stage of the development.

Officers from NLWA have been pressing them to produce a "realistic" schedule and delivery plan, but fears Acciona may struggle to meet its "existing contractual obligations".

The NLWA is controlled by councillors from Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest, and is responsible for disposing of waste from the seven boroughs.

'Pull the plug'

Heat generated by the new incinerator is expected to power 127,000 homes, an increase of 55,000 on the existing ‘energy from waste’ facility, and heat a further 60,000.

But environmental campaigners have criticised the new incinerator’s size, saying it was far bigger than needed, highlighting how north London households produced thousands of tonnes less rubbish in 2023 than they did the year before.

Members of the Stop the Edmonton Incinerator Now campaign have now said the NLWA should "pull the plug" on the scheme.

Carina Millstone, a spokesperson for the group, said: "The NLWA must urgently provide its seven constituent councils with updated financial projections in light of these delays, given new national climate and waste management policies.

"It’s not too late for the councils to safeguard their budgets, their climate, air pollution and waste targets, and do the right thing by their taxpayers, by pulling the plug on this outdated, outsized, toxic incinerator."

A spokesperson for the NLWA said that, despite the shortfalls, progress was "being made" and steelworks were due to start "imminently".

"Our priority is to make sure we secure the best environmental and financial outcomes for our constituent boroughs and council taxpayers," they said.