A NEW shape has been soaring into the sky at Marchwood in recent months.

Work is now well under way on Hampshire Waste's incinerator which will dispose of 165,000 tons of waste every year and pump enough electricity into the grid system to power 14,000 homes.

Construction work is well up to schedule and project director John Collis said: "It is going well and the incinerator is on programme to commence work in September."

He also pointed out that the centre incorporated a major recycling activity and added: "After we have recycled everything that can be recycled, what is left will be put to good use in generating electricity."

The first of Hampshire's new breed of energy-from-waste incinerators opened at Chinham, near Basingstoke, two years ago. It handles 90,000 tons per year from the Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor areas of the county.

Hampshire Waste has also been granted planning permission for a big new composting centre in the north of the county and is also well under way with work on a new materials recycling facility at Alton, which is set to come on line in July.