Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Incinerator firm takes plans fight to appeal
Ministers to decide after council rejected changes
An appeal has been lodged against North Lanarkshire Council’s decision to refuse permission for changes to the pyrolysis plant at Carnbroe.
The application for the site at Glasgow and Edinburgh Road will now be assessed by an independent reporter but the decision will be made by Scottish ministers.
A notice from the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division ( DPEA) reads: “Scottish ministers have decided that they will determine this case and have prepared a direction to that effect.
“The reason is because of the sensitive nature of this type of development, the proposal’s potential implications for development plan policies which include the promotion of clean air, public health, zero waste and visual amenity, and because of the significant level of public interest.”
The appeal follows April’s unanimous rejection by the council’s planning committee of an application from North Lanarkshire Bio Power to amend the existing permission for the energy from-waste plant.
It included trebling the height of the ventilation stack to 80 metres, as well as increasing the annual fuel tonnage and energy output, halving the footprint of the processing building and improving access arrangements.
Councillors from all parties spoke out against the proposal, which generated more than 250 objections, a 1300-signature Facebook petition and submissions from seven MSPs.
Fulton MacGregor, the Coatbridge & Chryston MSP, said: “It’s an important intervention from the ministers and I’m really pleased that this application is to be reviewed as there’s huge public interest in this.
“The reporter has been appointed and is going to undertake a site visit but this means they will no longer make the decision. They’ll make a recommendation to ministers.”
He added: “The public don’t want it and every one of the councillors rejected it unanimously.”
Maggie Proctor of campaign group Monklands Residents against Pyrolysis Plant said: “We’re delighted that the Scottish ministers are taking our concerns extremely seriously regarding the proposed incinerator development next to our homes and gardens, places of work, worship, schools and nurseries.”
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “The council has been informed that the appeal by North Lanarkshire Bio Power Ltd will be determined by the Scottish ministers instead of the DPEA reporter.
“We have submitted our case to DPEA and now await the ministers’ decision.”