Global retail estate services firm, DTZ together with leading environmental firm, SLR Consulting, has developed a comprehensive regional waste infrastructure support tool which has been shortlisted for a Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Planning Award. 

The project, on behalf of regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands (AWM), indicates how and where key waste and recycling infrastructure can be deployed to assist in the development of a low carbon economy. 

The starting point for the strategy and support tool was the identification a waste resource infrastructure capacity gap in the West Midlands of 3.7 million tonnes by 2021, the equivalent of 250 million black bags of waste per year. The quantity of waste infrastructure development required to deal with this would equate to around 260 hectares of land.

Working closely with AWM, DTZ and SLR Consulting developed an analysis tool which provides a coherent approach to diverting waste from landfill across the West Midlands. It also identifies 'hot spots' of opportunity to develop waste infrastructure in the region and support local businesses to manage their waste more efficiently. 

Richard Howard, Associate Director in Development Consulting at DTZ, said: "This project seeks to develop stronger links between the waste and recycling industry, regeneration agencies and local businesses. The approach adopted can easily be replicated across the UK to encourage waste and recycling infrastructure to be developed where it is most needed. 

"Even though RDAs are being disbanded, waste treatment infrastructure still needs to be delivered if the UK is to avoid being in breach of its EU landfill diversion obligations. This tool has been developed to identify the best locations for waste infrastructure development across a whole region. It is gratifying that this has been acknowledged by the RTPI with this nomination. 

He added: "The waste and energy sectors are two of the more buoyant areas of the property industry and DTZ is currently advising on a number of potential waste and energy projects across the country."

The winners of the RTPI awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 3 February 2011. 

SLR Consulting is an environmental consultancy with 22 offices in the UK and Ireland, including, Worcester and Shrewsbury .