Information for Fornax Specialist Waste Treatment Facility, Merchant Park, Newton Aycliffe / Land North Of Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd, Millennium Way, Aycliffe Business Park
Status: PotentialPlanning Region: North East
Planning Sub-Region: Durham
Operator: Fornax Environmental Solutions Ltd
Capacity: 10,500 (clinical and hazardous)
Campaign Group(s): Stop Heighington Lane Incinerator and Heighington Lane Incineration Plant Information Group (Facebook Group) and Great Aycliffe Town Council
Notes: Planning permission was granted on appeal in December 2022 (PINS appeal ref 3292099). A planning application was made in May 2021 for a "High Temperature Incineration Facility" to treat health care, hazardous, hygiene, and medical waste as well as law enforcement confiscated material (Durham CC planning ref. DM/21/01500/WAS). In July 2024 the applicant applied for planning conditions 7 and 10 to be discharged. In November 2024 it was announced that development began in June 2024, the steel framework had been completed at the site, and the project was due for completion by 2025 after which it would undero a 3 month commissioning period [Source]. In March 2025 it was reported that the plant would be operational by Spring 2025 [Source]. Permit consultation closed in July 2025 (EPR/QP3720LP/A001). It was reported in July 2025 that the would-be operator hopes the plant will "be in operation in the first quarter of 2026" and that "The EA is expected to announce a draft decision on the permit in the winter and then another public consultation will be held on that decision" [Source]. (Entry updated 2025-09-24)
Planning Consent files:
288-PlanningConsent-2022.pdfEnvironment Agency Compliance Assessment Reports
Click here to see the incinerator compliance documents for existing English incineratorsStandard notice:
UKWIN (and therefore the UKWIN map) focuses on Municipal Waste Incinerators, whereas our colleagues at Biofuelwatch focus on biomass projects. If you are interested in biomass incinerators (including waste wood plants) over 20MW then please see the Biofuelwatch map of UK Biomass Power Stations. Those concerned about biomass plants, including waste wood plants, should email Biofuelwatch at biofuelwatch[at]gmail.com.Please be aware: There is always room for improvement, so please send updates to coordinator@ukwin.org.uk. Existing Incinerator means a facility that is operational or under construction/commissioning. A Potential Incinerator is a facility where there is a proposal for an incinerator (e.g. planning application or planning consent) or other reason to believe an incinerator might be built/proposed in the future. A Prevented Incinerator is something which used to be a proposal or expected incinerator which we do not believe is currently being progressed (e.g. because the project was cancelled, planning permission refused, or years have gone by since the permission was granted without any progress) - in some cases a facility marked as prevented is being progressed without us being aware or is subsequently revived. Capacity is usually the permitted or maximum advertised capacity of the facility.