Many residents of the Tustin Estate have raised concerns about the proposed Waste Management Project which Southwark Council plans to build on the old Gas Works at 763 Old Kent Road.

The proposal is for a major Waste Management Facility which will back onto the Tustin Estate next to Manor Grove and Pilgrim’s Way Primary School.

There is a great deal of concern and a number of tenants complained that they had not been given enough information or been able to make their views known to the Council.

The site is designed to be an Integrated Waste Management Facility. It would be 16.2 meters high and would include:

- A mechanical biological treatment plant and waste transfer station
- A material recycling facility and household waste re-use and recycling centre.
- A municipal depot, and visitor centre (Resource Centre)
- Car parking and new internal access road.

The site would form part of Southwark’s Resource Programme which aims to recycle half of all the borough’s rubbish by 2020.

I am strongly in favour of recycling as part of waste management but I am not happy to see any developments which will make things worse for the Tustin Estate and local area.

Southwark Council are currently consulting on the plans. The consultation period started on 25th September 2008 and is open until 1st November 2008. If local residents have concerns I want them to be aware that they still able to raise them with the Council. It is not too late.

If residents have any questions about the site the case officer at Southwark Council is Helen Goulden on 0207 525 5349.

If residents want to raise concerns they can email the Council at:  planning.applications(at)southwark.gov.uk  including the planning application number which is 08/AP/2209 and their full name. They can also contact me at the House of Commons or email harmanh(at)parliament.uk