Council rejects calls from incinerator protesters

15 December 2025

Bill EdgarLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — Activists have campaigned for years against the building of the waste facility

LDRS About two-dozen protesters standing on the outside steps of a council building with blue and yellow badge. The protesters, of all different ages, are holding placards and signs. One sign says "Stop the burn" in yellow lettering on a black flag. The largest banner at the front of the group says "It's never too late to stop a bad idea. Stop the Tees Valley incinerator". The banner is white. Lots of people are holding pictures of eyes. — Activists have campaigned for years against the building of the waste facility

Council leaders have rejected calls to pull out of a controversial incinerator project despite being warned of "the biggest mistake you'll ever make".

Protesters gathered outside Durham County Hall last week in an attempt to convince the council to back out of a joint deal for the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF).

The facility is set to be built at Teesworks, near Grangetown, Redcar, and would take household waste from seven areas.

Reform councillor Kyle Genner said the project had been scrutinised "up and down", adding: "TVERF is the best way forward".

One placard at the protest read: "It's never too late to back out now from the biggest mistake you'll ever make. Why spend billions of taxpayer funds over 30 years when you don't have to."

The protesters' calls were supported by Green councillor Jonathan Emer, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"The council could and should position itself to take full advantage of cheaper, greener, and proven alternatives," he said.

Viridor/Terence O'Rourke An image of what the new facility could look like. It shows several grey blocks making up the incinerator. There are very few windows. In front are rows of trees bordering a car park and access road. — The Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility is scheduled to open in 2029

Genner said: "TVERF is by far the best option we have available to us and anybody who has looked at this seriously knows that to be the case. It's the best option financially and environmentally.

"This project has been scrutinised up and down, inside out, and from every possible angle. What's the main conclusion? TVERF is the best way forward."

Leader of the Reform-led council Andrew Husband had previously said his administration had "no appetite" for the scheme and that the party sought to exit the "horrible deal".

But since then, he has said Reform had "challenged" and "fixed" the deal.

The TVERF is scheduled to open in 2029 and would burn up to 450,000 tonnes of waste per year from households in the Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton council areas to generate energy.

The contract for the development, which councils say is required to deal with residual waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill, could run for up to 40 years and has been valued at more than £2bn.

TVERF has previously said the parties were working through final contract details and that it expected to complete the deal "early in 2026".

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