Hackney drops bid to cancel £1.5bn waste plant

Hackney Council has abandoned its plan to stop the £1.5bn reconstruction of the Edmonton waste incinerator. The decision reverses a pledge made by the Green Party, which won control of the local authority in May 2026. The party had previously campaigned to explore every option to cancel the project.

The reversal comes after a review determined that stopping the work would be financially and environmentally damaging. The plant serves seven councils in north London. The Green Party manifesto called for an exploration of cancellation options, but the current administration argues that abandoning the build would worsen operational outcomes.

Construction on the 50-year-old facility began in 2022. The project has faced opposition for decades due to concerns about air pollution and carbon emissions. In 2024, the previous Labour administration defended the scheme after a BBC investigation described burning rubbish as the UK's dirtiest form of power.

The cost of the rebuild has increased substantially. Hackney Council stated that the multi-year construction budget rose by 80%. This increase directly affects the borough's finances. A council spokesperson said the authority's predicted budget shortfall grew by £9m partly because of its larger contribution to the rising costs of the Edmonton plant.

Councillor Jacob Cable, the cabinet member for climate, said failing to complete the project would be devastating for the seven constituent boroughs. He noted that cancelling the rebuild would require paying to transport waste to lower performing incinerators. Cable, who also chairs the North London Waste Authority, said he reached this conclusion after commissioning a review of the costs and risks of not completing the project.

The North London Waste Authority cited unforeseen complications on the old industrial site as causes for delays. These included the discovery of asbestos, unmapped water pipes, and a sewer diversion that was more complex than planned. Rising construction costs, high interest rates, and supply chain pressures also delayed the scheme.

The council now expects its budget gap to grow to more than £21m by 2030. The project is scheduled to enter its commissioning phase in 2027.