Princess Anne with Andy Pike, Cory's director of riverside resource recovery, picture by Jason Dodd

Princess Anne opens waste plant at Belvedere

by Robin Cottle, Reporter Wednesday, May 9, 2012
6:35 PM

Princess Anne gave a £450 million Belvedere energy facility a royal seal of approval.

She visited Cory Environmental’s energy plant in Norman Road, to officially open its new Riverside Resources Recovery centre which creates energy-from-waste facility. She was welcomed to the plant by the company’s boss Peter Gerstrom.

Dressed in a turquoise coat she toured the new enterprise near the River Thames and met staff connected with the project during her visit yesterday (Wednesday). She also unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.

Princess Anne said: “It is important to get the message out how important waste management is. I am really pleased with the facility.”

The Queen’s Waterman Gary Anness joined the visit as a reminder of the area’s connection with the river.

Cory employs 63 people at the site and said the new building is their most significant project and will help the London manage its waste effectively and efficiently.

The site’s technical and development manager Martyn Hunt said: “We first conceived of the idea in 1991so this has been a long time in coming. We’ve been through two judicial reviews because opposition from local residents and green protestors.

“This is a great project because waste to land fill is no longer an option.”

The plant has been fully operational since February 2011. The company said its position next to the Thames would enable it to remove more than 100,000 lorries from the capital’s congested roads in terms of waste management.

Bexley dignitaries council leader Teresa O’ Neill, chief executive Will Tuckley and Bexley mayor Ray Sams also joined the hour-long visit.

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2 comments

Why was Bill Borrett invited? He tells us, in his normal ill informed manner, that this facility is exactly the same as the proposed site in King's Lynn! What a very silly man he obviously does not realise that there is no IBA processing and storage on site, it is all barged to Tilbury Docks where Ballast Phoenix have a facility to deal with it. I am always amazed that while making such silly statements he still manages to remain in a position of power within Norfolk County Council.

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Joy, King's Lynn

Saturday, May 12, 2012
How wonderful that Norfolk's very own Bill Borrett is boasting, that having spoken to Princess Anne here, she is endorsing this outdated technology, and that as a direct result, people in King's Lynn shouldn't complain about the incinerator he is pushing 10 miles as the toxic wind blows from Sandringham.

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Honest John

Saturday, May 12, 2012