Chelson Meadow will handle all Plymouth's waste from February 2008

Transfer station team doing 'fantastic job'

May Gurney is nearing completion of a new refuse transfer station on an existing landfill site in Plymouth, which will handle the entire city's domestic waste when it becomes operational in February 2008.

The latest work on the Chelson Meadow site, which has been worth £10.5m over four years, is being carried out for Plymouth City Council.

Construction of a 65m x 65m x 12m steel-framed building is nearing completion, with mechanical and electrical works due to be finished by August.

The project has included bulk earthworks; construction of the foundations and building; new drainage systems; and the installation of an active and passive landfill gas management system.

Ian Fawcus, May Gurney Project Manager, said: "The work at Chelson Meadow had to be meticulously planned and sensitively carried out as the landfill site has been operational throughout the project and will only close when the new station opens.

"Building on landfill also required rigorous testing on the ground before work began. Our team has done a fantastic job and offered great value solutions to Plymouth City Council."

Councillor Michael Leaves, Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Environmental Regulation, said: "People who regularly visit Chelson Meadow have seen major changes over the last few months, from leveling an area of the landfill to building this impressive new warehouse type structure. The landfill will close at the end of March 2008 at which point the new transfer station will be ready to roll into action."

May Gurney has worked on the Chelson Meadow site through a number of projects. Previous work on the site has included the construction of a 2,200m leachate cut-off wall and the installation of a new wheelwash facility and landscaping works in 2004.