PROPOSALS to build a £300million state-of-the-art energy recovery centre to turn millions of black bin bags and their contents into steam and electricity are revealed today.

The scheme by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK will create 50 new jobs at its site in Lower Eccleshill Road, Darwen.

The new plant, which incinerates the non-recyclable rubbish and turns it into steam and electricity for sale to the National Grid and nearby businesses, would be built on the site of the firm's existing waste transfer centre.

This would be moved to a new location in or near Darwen but the company's offices would remain.

It would process 500,000 tonnes of waste each year, equivalent to more than 70m black bin bags, which would otherwise go to landfill at SUEZ's Whinney Hill tip in Altham.

SUEZ, which runs eight similar centres across the UK, revealed details of the scheme as it submitted a planning application to Blackburn with Darwen Council.

If approved by councillors in July, the new development would take three years to build and should be on stream by 2024.

The plant would generate enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes - the equivalent of very household in the borough.

The majority of the waste would come from Lancashire County and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Councils and the new treatment would cut their landfill tax bills and reduce the amount of rubbish buried in traditional tips.

The plant would filter out any pollutants from the incinerated waste before emissions from a 90 metre chimney stack.

It would also take commercial waste from companies and sell electricity and steam to nearby firms at competitive prices hopefully attracting new ones to the vicinity.

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration boss, said: “If this application is approved, it will bring new jobs, many skilled, to the town. It would put Darwen at the centre of modern recycling technology

"It will be a major boost for the borough and have a beneficial environmental impact by reducing the amount of waste going to landfill

SUEZ chief executive David Palmer-Jones said: “The company has strong links to Lancashire and we are delighted to put forward a proposal that would see us continuing to significantly invest in the area, provide a huge boost to the local economy and help reduce the region's reliance on landfill.”

The firm will hold two public drop-in public on exhibitions on February 15 from noon to 7pm at Darwen Heritage Centre and on February 16 from 10am-1.45pm at Blackburn Central Library.

Residents are invited to attend both sessions and can find out more detail, ask questions or make comments on a dedicated microsite for the project (including a ‘Have your say’ section) at: suezdarwen.co.uk