From 27 November 2025, the Cory Decarbonisation Project Order 2025 takes legal effect, granting development consent for carbon capture at Cory’s Riverside energy‑from‑waste site in Belvedere, London. Signed on 5 November 2025 on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Order authorises construction, operation and decommissioning, with conditions that foreground climate mitigation, nature recovery and long‑term community access.

The project centres on up to two post‑combustion capture trains linked to Riverside 1 and Riverside 2, complete with flue‑gas pre‑treatment, absorber columns, solvent regeneration, CO₂ compression, dehydration and liquefaction. A liquid CO₂ buffer storage yard, above‑ground pipelines and continuous emissions monitoring are specified. In short: capture at stack, liquefy on site, move safely and transparently.

Maritime infrastructure is fundamental. The Order permits a new Thames jetty, associated topside systems and dedicated LCO₂ lines, plus targeted dredging. The Port of London Authority (PLA) remains a statutory gatekeeper: detailed navigation risk assessments are required before construction, and the PLA can set conditions to protect shipping and the river’s hydrodynamics.

Heat, often wasted at industrial scale, is brought into scope. The scheme must submit and implement a heat strategy that shows how surplus heat from Riverside 1, Riverside 2 and the new capture plant could be exported to local networks. That means allowing for heat recovery equipment, pipework and a heat transfer station-practical steps towards lower‑carbon warmth for nearby homes and businesses.

Nature gains are hard‑wired. A minimum 10% biodiversity net gain is required for both area habitat units and watercourse units, secured for 30 years from commissioning. The delivery plan covers habitat creation, new and improved watercourses, attenuation ponds and long‑term management, using Natural England’s metric to quantify outcomes. Intertidal enhancements tied to the jetty design must also be set out before works begin.

Access to nature is set to improve alongside habitat quality. Once the mitigation and enhancement package (Work No. 7) is delivered, the Crossness Local Nature Reserve will be formally extended and re‑designated, with Bexley Council empowered to make modern byelaws. Expect raised walkways, new footpaths and permissive routes, alongside education and amenity facilities-all designed to bring people into restored wetland landscapes without disturbing sensitive species.

River ecology safeguards are explicit. The deemed marine licence restricts water‑injection dredging during peak summer months, requires soft‑start procedures for percussive piling and mandates reporting to the Marine Noise Registry. Pollution prevention, bunding of fuels and careful material disposal are compulsory, with the Marine Management Organisation overseeing compliance.

Flood resilience is treated as a living duty, not a one‑off study. A river wall condition survey must be approved by the Environment Agency, with remedial works delivered on a defined timetable. After 45 years of operation, the undertaker must review flood risk and implement any additional measures before passing the 50‑year mark-an adaptive approach that acknowledges sea‑level rise and changing extremes.

Construction will be run to a Community Code of Construction Practice, including a worker travel plan, defined working hours, noise limits and lighting controls. The Order leans on the Thames to move materials, cutting HGV miles where feasible. Public rights of way will be maintained or re‑provided, with new routes opened once safe, and clear commitments to dust, surface‑water and waste management are set out in advance.

What to watch next: the submission and approval of key pre‑commencement documents-design details, the construction traffic plan, the biodiversity and access strategy, the jetty environmental design, drainage, archaeological work and emergency preparedness. Together they convert the legal consent into day‑to‑day safeguards-and, crucially, into visible climate and nature wins Londoners can walk across and benefit from.