Key Points
- Key Achievement: The heavy lift luffing tower cranes from Marr Contracting have been able to erect a modularised flue gas stack of over 100 meters in height at the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP).
- Heavy Lifting Exercise: In a period of two months, one tower crane from Marr (M2480D) lifted the modular sections of weights up to 60 tonnes.
- Unique Engineering Approach: The use of a dual crane solution involved the use of the modular rail system from Marr within the waste refuge bunker and steel cruciform base on piled foundation that ruled out the necessity of mobile/crawler cranes at the site.
- Project Description: The £1.5 billion NLHPP Project, undertaken by the NLWA, caters to the needs of 2 million people in seven north London boroughs.
- Site Challenges Managed: The unique heavy lift solution has been able to de-clutter the tight 16 hectares of Edmonton EcoPark site.
North London (North London News) September 2, 2026 – As reported by Lee Kenny of Construction News, Marr Contracting’s specialized heavy lift tower cranes have officially completed the installation of a landmark 100-metre-plus modularised chimney flue gas stack at the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP). The scheme, valued at £1.5 billion, represents a major infrastructural undertaking led by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) to replace an ageing, 50-year-old energy-from-waste facility situated at the 16-hectare Edmonton EcoPark.
How Was the 100m Flue Gas Stack Erected on a Congested Site?
Over an intensive two-month operational window, the project team deployed one of Marr’s M2480D heavy lift luffing tower cranes to systematically hoist and position multiple heavy sections forming the main flue gas stack. Individual modular elements lifted during the operation weighed up to 60 tonnes, reaching total heights in excess of 100 metres.
As highlighted by Lee Kenny in Construction News, this methodology offered a direct alternative to conventional heavy-lift strategies that typically rely on massive mobile or crawler cranes. Given that the Edmonton EcoPark is a highly constrained, active industrial site undergoing simultaneous redevelopment, introducing large ground-based crawler equipment would have severely exacerbated site congestion and created logistical bottlenecks.
What Engineering Methodology Solved the Heavy Lifting Challenge?
To overcome the spatial constraints of the 16-hectare site, Marr Contracting implemented an engineered cranage solution using two M2480D heavy lift luffing tower cranes placed strategically within the footprint of the new plant.
According to technical specifications released by Marr Contracting, the first M2480D crane was erected using Marr’s proprietary modular rail system (MTS) positioned inside the facility’s concrete waste refuge bunker. The second M2480D crane was mounted onto a heavy-duty steel cruciform base fixed directly to piled foundations located at the opposite end of the site. Together, the dual-crane arrangement provided comprehensive hook coverage across the entire construction zone while occupying minimal ground area.
As reported by Lee Kenny of Construction News, the central challenge facing the project was formulating a lifting strategy capable of handling high-volume, heavy-component installation without creating operational gridlock. By integrating the tower cranes directly into the structural foundations and bunker footprint, the team avoided the footprint penalties associated with outriggers and tracks required by mobile gear.
Background of the Particular Development
The North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP) is an flagship £1.5 billion municipal infrastructure program commissioned by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA). The authority represents seven north London boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest.
The centerpiece of the redevelopment is the construction of an advanced Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) to replace the original Edmonton waste-to-energy plant, which was originally commissioned in the early 1970s and has exceeded its intended operational lifespan. Once fully operational, the modern facility will process non-recyclable residual waste generated by roughly 2 million local residents, converting waste into heat and energy.
The wider EcoPark redevelopment also incorporates a Resource Recovery Facility (RRF), including a public Reuse and Recycling Centre, community facilities, and upgraded district heating pipework connections. The completion of the 100m flue gas stack represents a major structural milestone in bringing the new ERF toward its final mechanical and operational completion phase.
Prediction: How Will This Development Affect North London Residents and the Local Construction Industry?
The successful erection of the 100m flue gas stack marks a key transition toward the operational readiness of the new ERF, which will directly impact both local taxpayers and the wider UK construction sector.
For the 2 million residents across the seven participating north London boroughs, the completion of key structural elements brings the region closer to securing long-term, modern waste management infrastructure. The new ERF is engineered to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollutants compared to the legacy facility it replaces. Furthermore, the facility is designed to generate up to 78 megawatts of electricity—enough to power approximately 127,000 homes—while providing low-carbon heat to local district heating networks, helping to shield local communities from future energy price volatility.
For the civil engineering and major building sectors, Marr Contracting’s application of high-capacity luffing tower cranes on a confined urban footprint establishes an important precedent. Demonstrating that 60-tonne modular units can be safely hoisted over 100 metres high using tower cranes rather than expansive crawler cranes is likely to encourage UK contractors to adopt similar “Design for Manufacture and Assembly” (DfMA) lifting strategies on congested urban infrastructure sites in the future.
