Approval recommended for controversial Carnbroe pyrolysis plant

Feb 24 2010 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge

THE hotly-disputed waste-to-energy pyrolysis plant at Carnbroe has been recommended for approval by planning officials.

Councillors on North Lanarkshire’s planning committee must now decide whether to rubber-stamp the application or take the more unusual step of voting against the expert assessment.

Shore Energy’s proposal is scheduled to be heard at their meeting tomorrow (Thursday) – but is likely to be postponed after both the developers and protesters requested a site visit.

The latter group are disappointed that the plant is set to be given the green light after a total of 4298 objections were lodged, including one from Elaine Smith, the Coatbridge and Chryston MSP.

Fellow Coatbridge politician Tom Clarke MP has also expressed his opposition to the controversial development at the former Shanks and McEwan site in an interview in today’s Advertiser.

Concerns from local residents had to be listed in a 17-page appendix to the lengthy report on the application, covering worries ranging from health hazards, air pollution and site selection to traffic, ecological impact and the very need for the development.

However, planners concluded: “Despite the significant volume of representation received, it has been determined that the material terms of objections cannot be sustained.”

No objections were posed by any of the statutory consultees, which included the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Transport Scotland, Scottish Water and various council departments.

Maggie Proctor, of campaign group Monklands Residents Against Pyrolysis Plant, expressed the group’s disappointment but is still hopeful that councillors will vote against the recommendation.

She said: “We are confident this application will be rejected and that North Lanarkshire Council, instead of being press-ganged into signing contracts with Shore, will look at other ways of dealing with waste.

“We are disappointed that the report appears to accept the Shore Energy spin that ‘this is not an incinerator’.

“A checklist of compliance from consultees does not convince us that the health, wellbeing and image of our community will not suffer – not all issues are codified in planning law and there are safer alternatives.

“We are fully aware that dealing with waste is a big challenge, but this ‘incinerator in disguise’ should never be an option – the health and wellbeing of local people must come before profit.”

The application was considered against local plans relating to Glasgow and the Clyde Valley, Monklands and North Lanarkshire, and against the National Waste Strategy and Area Waste Plan.

Opponents protested that the plant would be contrary to those policies and be deemed unnecessary – but their objections were not upheld.

The report determines that industrial and brownfield sites are considered acceptable locations for such developments and that waste recycling and repurposing is to be encouraged as an alternative to landfill.

Shore Energy welcomed the recommended approval of their application, saying they are “encouraged” by the news.

Project director Jon Garvey said: “Approval would represent a positive step towards helping North Lanarkshire and Scotland meet challenging waste management and renewable energy targets using technology highly regulated by SEPA.

“In our view, this recommendation confirms that our proposals are technically sound, of an appropriate nature and scale and are desirable.

“We hope that the planning committee approves this modern and smart solution to waste management – and if so, we are committed to continuing an open dialogue with community representatives.”