Winnie in town
nearby residents and the claim that there is no need for such a factory in Tarbert.
However, the council’s director of planning, Mr Mike Oliver, discounted all these objections and recommended to the planning committee that the application be approved. The recommendation was accepted by members.
The application from the Scottish Development Agency, which will build the factory and lease it to the operators (as yet unnamed), is for an 1,100-square metre factory, providing, it is hoped, between 40 and 50 jobs.
However, at the time that the proposal was first announced, there were strong doubts locally about the ability of Tarbert to support such a new move.
There are already two fish processing plants in the village, although on a smaller scale, and these have not been operating on anything like full production for some time.
This point was raised by objectors, who also questioned whether the local fishing fleet could provide adequate supplies of the required type of fish for such a factory.
A total of eight letters of objection were received by the council when the proposal was advertised.
Objectors felt that problems of environmental health – notably noise, smell and vermin – as well as the resultant detrimental effect on the surrounding residential property were grounds for refusing the application.
However, the council’s director of environmental health, Mr John Smart, in a report to the committee, refuted any major problems in this area, provided sufficient controls were contained in the planning conditions.
He felt that the modern design of the factory would minimise smell problems, while waste disposal and noise levels could all be strictly controlled by the council as planning authority.
He also felt that if these controls were adhered strictly to then the problem of vermin – whether rodents, gulls or insects – would not arise.
Mr Oliver said: “The only contentious aspect of this proposal is the likely effect of the proposal on the amenities of the nearby houses.
“Fish processing has an unfortunate name for being detrimental to the amenity of nearby houses, but as confirmed by the director of environmental health, the problems appear to have been overcome and safeguarding conditions are recommended.”
Winnie Ewing, Highlands and Islands Euro MP, visited Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig on Monday, and called in at the Forestry Commission office where she discussed the current state of the industry.
Mrs Ewing was met by South Scotland conservator Mr Atterson and by Mr Stirling and Mr Stevenson, district officers.
Later, she expressed concern that the number of people employed in the industry had reached a new low – 2,858 in 1984 whereas as far back as 1960 more than 5,000 people had been in employment. But, she said, there was an air of optimism in the conversation because the drop in the number of those employed could in part be attributed to those workers who had had the enterprise to become contractors.
On the mill side, Mrs Ewing gained assurances that mills would be needed in the future and said that the commission favoured the setting up of a number of small mills.
She commented: “With the amount of timber we have we must have mills in Scotland.”
All in all, said Mrs Ewing, the outlook for the industry was not so gloomy and she was firm in the belief that the Forestry Commission remained committed to employment and development in the Highlands.
Later in the day, Mrs Ewing visited the Crinan Canal to see the damaged section of the 180-year-old wall. She met with Mr Fisher, canal manager at Ardrishaig, and promised to find out what EEC funding might be available for repair work.