The city council has announced a strategic business case has now been completed and work is now underway with the development of an outline business case.
In developing the business case the city will continue to work up detailed proposals for a new facility and will now undertake a further series of soft market tests between January and April 2019 to clarify investment and partnership approaches.
A cabinet decision will inform the final specification and allocate the key resources required in advance of opening a formal procurement in late summer 2019.
A spokesperson for the council told Partnerships Bulletin: "Internal feedback has highlighted the desire to clarify the investment and partnership options to enable council members to take an informed decision. This in part reflects the wider current concerns around financing of public infrastructure projects and the need to ensure value for money."
In October 2017 the council’s Cabinet gave approval to investigate a commercially sustainable waste disposal solution including procurement for a minimum of 25 years from the end of the current contract in March 2025.
In November 2017, the unitary waste authority issued a prior information notice regarding a potential £500m plant. The council intended to issue a contract notice by autumn 2018 for a service expected to commence in 2025.