A SERIES of exhibitions is to be staged next month to provide an overview of plans for a new multi- million-pound waste treatment facility.

The South West Devon Waste Partnership is staging the exhibitions as part of a roadshow which will visit Plymouth, Saltash and Torbay .

The partnership, comprising Plymouth, Torbay and Devon County councils, is commissioning a new treatment plant to handle all waste from Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon.

Three companies – MVV Umwelt, Sita UK and Viridor – have been shortlisted to put forward more detailed plans for waste handling.

The firms have come up with different plans, all for waste incinerators, at Ernesettle, Devonport's North and South Yards, and New England Quarry near Lee Mill.

Councillor Roger Croad, chairman of the South West Devon Waste Partnership, said: "We would encourage people to attend these exhibitions over the coming weeks, where they can learn more about how we will manage our waste in the future and the importance of recycling, reusing and reducing waste in the first place."

The roadshow will be open to all and will take place on the following dates: November 9, 5pm-8pm, Ernesettle Community School, Biggin Hill, Ernesettle, Plymouth; November 11, 4pm -8pm, City College Plymouth, Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth; November 12, 5pm-8pm, Ashtorre Rock, Waterside, Old Ferry Road, Saltash; November 13, 4pm-8pm, The Watermark, Leonards Road, Ivybridge; and November 14, 10am-2pm, Plymouth Guildhall.

Final tenders will be invited in 2010 and the contract will be awarded at the end of next year.

The energy-from-waste incinerator is expected to be operational in 2013.

Once the contractor and solution are selected, the successful firm will need to put forward a detailed planning application, and get consent for its chosen site and the technology being used before any development can take place.

An environmental permit will also have to be obtained from the Environment Agency before any plant can be put into operation.

Viridor has already made public its proposal for New England Quarry, which it says will go ahead regardless of whether it is chosen by the partnership as its preferred solution.

Viridor's proposed Resource Recovery Centre will be constructed on part of the disused New England quarry and will include an 'energy from waste' facility, a non-hazardous landfill for waste unsuitable for recycling or energy from waste processing and a visitor and education centre.

Viridor has described recent public consultation as being "extremely useful" and "positive".

The planning application for the proposed waste facility in Lee Mill is due to be submitted by the end of November.

Local authorities face increasing pressure to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill, with landfill tax about to rise by £8 a tonne per year, and set to hit £72 a tonne in 2013.

Plymouth, Torbay and Devon County councils will pay to send their waste to the proposed energy from waste (EfW) plant, and the total cost for the three councils over 30 years is likely to be more than £1.5billion.

However, not having a waste solution would cost £1.9billion because of the escalating costs of landfill and associated taxes and fines.

More information on the work of the partnership can be found at www.swdwp.co.uk.