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Information for Wheelabrator Kemsley North (WKN), adjacent to and immediately NE of the Kemsley Paper Mill, in Kemsley, Sittingbourne, Kent

Status: Prevented
Planning Region: South East
Planning Sub-Region: Kent
Operator: Wheelabrator Kemsley (WTI/EFW Holdings)
Capacity: 390,000
Campaign Group(s): Contact coordinator@ukwin.org.uk to be put in touch with those opposing this development.
Notes: In February 2021 the Business Secretary refused permission for this facility [Source, Source]. In September 2019 an application was submitted for: "A Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project comprising a power upgrade and increase in tonnage throughput to the existing Kemsley Generating Station (K3) to allow for generation of up to 75MW; and a new Wheelabrator Kemsley North (WKN) waste to energy facility with a capacity of up to 42MW" [See Infrastructure Planning website]. Kent County Council objected to the incinerator proposal [Source]. In December 2020 Wheelabrator announced the sale of their UK EfW division to the European Diversified Infrastructure Fund III, an infrastructure fund managed by First Sentier Investors (FSI) [Source]. An environmental permit was issued in February 2021 (EPR/SP3206ST/A001). (Entry updated 2021-03-08)

Permit files:

274-Permit-2021.pdf

Permit Decision files:

274-PermitDecision-2021.pdf

Environment Agency Compliance Assessment Reports

Click here to see the incinerator compliance documents for existing English incinerators

Standard 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.