An incinerator burning up to 275,000 tonnes of waste a year is being proposed on the border of Croydon and Sutton.

The veil of secrecy surrounding the proposed facility was part lifted on Friday December 16 when company Viridor was announced by the South London Waste Partnership (SLWP), made of Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Kingston councils as the preferred bidder.

At a press conference at the Viridor waste site, Beddington Lane, Sutton officials from the company revealed plans for the £200m project, which will handle not only waste from the four borough’s but also from businesses across south west London.

By burning non-recyclable waste to create steam to power turbines, the incinerator can produce 36 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 30,000 homes.

Frank Smith, director of the South London Waste Partnership, said: “There are real financial commitments to continue recycling.

“We are doing something very innovative and long term we expect people’s recycling habits to improve and we would want our waste to reduce in the future. There is no obligation for us to keep feeding the facility in the future.”

Dan Cooke, head of external affairs at Viridor admitted the site would still look to process the maximum 275,000 tonnes even if the amount of waste from the SLWP was to reduce.

Final negotiations over the contract are yet to be concluded, but a full application is expected to be submitted to Sutton Planning Committee in the first half of next year.

Public consultation on the plan will include exhibitions and be available to see online.

Speculation has been rife about the plan since it was first suggested three years ago, with green campaigners and opposition councillor’s angry details have been kept secret due to commercial sensitivity.

Mr Smith said: “There will be concerns and we want to be as open as possible. This is the most environmentally sustainable solution and we are getting value from the waste in the form of electricity.”

Viridor claimed the incinerator, which will emit gas consisting largely of CO2 and water vapour, is more environmentally friendly than landfill in terms of emissions, as well as alternative forms of dealing with waste.

Alongside the waste gas, around three tonnes of hazardous residue from treating the gas is produced for every 100 tonnes burned as well as around five tonnes of bottom ash which must be sent to landfill.