Owner of site makes deal with developer

The owner of the Carnbroe site at the centre of protests over plans for an energy-to-waste plant has reached a deal with the prospective developer “which removes any time constraints in which to deal with the planning application”.

Simon Howie – whose firm Shore Energy made the first application at the site and began work there three years ago after finally receiving full planning permission after lengthy appeals – this week confirmed the updated arrangement with CoGen.

He said: “We see CoGen as the perfect partner to take this exciting project forward; it operates a number of similar projects and is applying a best-in-class approach to its decision-making.

“I am very happy to support CoGen to give it whatever time is required to deliver this project, and look forward to helping it drive towards the diversion of all residual waste from landfill, in line with the government’s directive.

“It’s clear that the use of very robust, well- proven technology that fully complies with Best Available Techniques will allow Scotland to become the UK leader in dealing with its own waste in a proximal manner.”

CoGen chief executive Ian Brooking added: “The deal struck with Simon Howie will ensure that the Carnbroe site forms part of our long-term plan to deliver a pipeline of next- generation waste- to-energy facilities across the UK and Europe.”

The Advertiser told last week how campaigners against the development had welcomed a new Scottish Government intervention insisting that an environmental impact assessment be produced in relation to the ongoing development appeal relating to the site.

It was lodged after an application to amend the existing consent by trebling the height of the stack to 80 metres as well as increasing the fuel tonnage, energy output and halving the footprint of the processing building was unanimously rejected by North Lanarkshire Council earlier this year.

CoGen took over the “fully implemented permission” from Shore Energy in 2017 “when a decision was made to alter several of the processes to ensure the scheme was implementing Best Available Techniques, as required by SEPA”.