Incinerator on back burner
Councillors reject application
Campaigners and politicians have welcomed South Lanarkshire Council’s refusal of an application to build an incinerator in Whitehill.
Proposals from Clean Power Properties were knocked back by the planning committee during a meeting on Tuesday (June 26).
It is the authority’s second such rejection of plans to erect an incinerator on Whistleberry Road, with the original plans blocked in 2013. The second attempt from Clean Power Properties came after the Scottish Government Reporter overturned SLC’S refusal in 2015, paving the way for a fresh application.
And the company could be set to take the same route once again, telling the Advertiser it has a “strong case to appeal” following Tuesday’s meeting.
Clean Power Properties’ latest application outlined an estimated £100 million investment in the local economy, and the generation of 150 jobs during construction and 30 fulltime jobs once operational.
However, residents, politicians and community groups have continuously fought against the plans, with 7080 objection letters and an online petition with 2922 signatures submitted in protest to the council this time around.
As reported in the Advertiser last week, a report prepared by Michael Mcglynn, executive director of Community and Enterprise Resources, called on the committee to refuse the latest proposals.
It stated: “The proposed development is of a scale and design that would have an overbearing visual impact upon the adjacent green network and immediate environment.
“The stack height and scale of the proposed main building would be out of proportion with the surrounding urban environment and therefore have a detrimental landscape impact as well as a negative visual impact upon the surrounding area.
“The design and scale of the proposals would have an adverse impact upon the setting of the A-listed Bothwell Bridge and Designated Bothwell Battlefield.
“The lack of an otter survey does not establish that there will be no impact on this protected species by the development proposals.”
The committee’s subsequent rejection of the plans was welcomed by local politicians and campaign groups.
But a spokesman for Clean Power Properties said: “Clearly given the decision of the committee, we shall consider our position, but, we are advised that we have a strong case to appeal to the Scottish Government for a site which already enjoys planning consent for this use.”