Carnbroe site visit ordered to decide controversial planning bid

Mar 3 2010 by Gordon Robertson, Airdrie & Coatbridge

BOTH sides of the controversial Carnbroe pyrolysis incinerator plant application have welcomed the council’s decision to visit the site before making a final decision.

North Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee met last Wednesday to discuss the Shore Energy proposal, recommended for approval by officials.

Around a dozen members of MRAPP ( Monklands Residents Against Pyrolysis Plant) went to the meeting which was also attended by Shore Energy boss Simon Howie.

Following the decision, the group’s Maggie Proctor said: “It would have been good if this application had been thrown out but the decision to grant a site visit will give us the opportunity to present our very strong case against this ‘incinerator in disguise’ being built in Monklands. Forcing a community to accept this method of waste management would be wrong and fortunately the planning report will not be the only consideration on the day.”

A statement on behalf of Simon Howie said: “Shore Energy is grateful to North Lanarkshire’s Planning and Transport Committee for taking the decision at last week’s committee meeting to undertake a site visit before deciding the outcome of our proposals for a materials recovery and renewable energy facility at Carnbroe. We are therefore delighted that the committee members will have an opportunity at firsthand to fully appraise themselves with our proposal for the site and to see the potential for substantial improvement to a site which is very visible to the heavy traffic that passes it.

“North Lanarkshire planning department’s positive recommendation and the views of statutory consultees confirm that our detailed proposals are technically sound, of an appropriate nature and scale for this site, whilst also being responsive to the waste management and environmental policies of not just North Lanarkshire, but the Scottish Government. Approval of the application would represent a positive step towards assisting North Lanarkshire to meet challenging waste management and renewable energy targets using technology which is highly regulated by SEPA.”