The Sustainable Resource Management (SRM) consortium consisting of Land Securities Trillium (LST) (70%), Norfolk Environmental Waste Services (NEWS) (20%) and Cyril Sweett Investments Ltd (10%) has been confirmed as Preferred Bidder for Contract A, a waste treatment project by Norfolk County Council, which will be one of the most advanced in Europe and which will create electricity for the county.

SRM is to build and operate an Advanced Mechanical Biological Treatment (AMBT) facility for the treatment and recycling of 150,000 tonnes per annum of municipal solid waste. The plant will be built in Costessey, on the outskirts of Norwich.

This is the first waste treatment Public Private Partnership (PPP) where SRM has achieved Preferred Bidder status. SRM’s solution can be rolled out to other local authorities to aid them in meeting their environment and waste targets. The PPP will last 25 years once the facility has been built.

Cyril Sweett’s Chief Executive, Dean Webster commented “Cyril Sweett are pleased to have achieved Preferred Bidder Status on our first waste project, which is a sector we are positively seeking to become more actively involved in. This transaction contributes to our targeted growth in PFI and PPP investments, whilst additionally providing core and specialist services via the Cyril Sweett Group”.

The AMBT facility proposed under this contract incorporates sophisticated mechanical sorting and preparation equipment, followed by dry-anaerobic digestion and a final enclosed aerobic composting phase to produce a stabilised organic compost-like material.

To date Cyril Sweett has provided bid management, cost consultancy, procurement services, Whole Life Costing, programming and specialist capital allowances advice. Going forward Cyril Sweett will manage the project to Financial Close, and subsequently undertake the role of Employers Agent.