Having worked fervently behind the scenes on the Ardeer Peninsula for several years, NPL Estates are delighted to be moving forward with three site operations.   The first a Green waste recycling facility, the second the strip-out of the Ardeer power station, and finally, the removal of redundant services and infrastructure.

Green Waste Recycling

NPL Estates fought off competition from three other established waste companies to win the North Ayrshire Green Waste Contract.   This contract, designed to run for 5 years, will see the processing of some 10,000 tonnes of domestic green waste per annum at Ardeer.   The waste, comprising lawn clippings and other garden matter, is collected by North Ayrshire Council in brown bins across the authority, supplemented by materials from parks and gardens maintenance.   NPL Estates’ facility contributes to over 25% of North Ayrshire’s recycling figures.   The materials are turned in open windows and the final product is being used to improve ecology on the peninsula on areas of former industrial development and will assist in the remediation of the land and development of the whole peninsula over the coming years.    The facility is not open directly to the public, who can deposit such waste in brown bins for collection, or at North Ayrshire’s waste transfer stations.

Ardeer Power Station

The building that was once the heartbeat of the whole peninsula, providing a source of power and steam, will see its equipment used again.    Boiler experts GES will be undertaking to remove all of the process engineering from the power station over the next year.   The kit will then be cleaned and packaged for shipment across the world for re-use.   High levels of asbestos lagging has been found on the pipework and within the building; this will be removed by specialist contractors to appropriate disposal.   By autumn next year the works will be complete, leaving NPL able to offer a building shell for industrial process.  

Redundant Service Removal

NPL have engaged specialist contractor Gilmerton Land Services to remove redundant utilities thus paving the way for new development.   Concentrating initially on power cable removal, the operation was put in force to remove the temptation for those that might seek to steal the copper within and leave behind trails of open ditches and melted plastic.   The cabling removal has now been carried out, only leaving behind supplies which remain live.   Works are now progressing with former water and steam mains together with the removal of former blast protection walls, all of which are essential for any future development.

Simon Towers, Managing Director of NPL Estates, said: “We are delighted to be able to run these projects at Ardeer in a time of financial uncertainty and seek to better place ourselves for the recovery.   We continue to engage with North Ayrshire Council, the local community and our industrial neighbours to bring to fruition other areas of the site with the development of the Peninsula golf course remaining high on the agenda.”