Green plan to grow millions of tomatoes
Project could create around 270 permanent jobs
A Stirlingshire village could become Scotland’s tomato growing capital under plans for a new green energy project.
Bandeath Holdings have now submitted a formal planning application for their project at Bandeath Industrial Estate in Throsk, having first announced their proposals last year.
The developers are seeking to install a river source heat pump, using water extracted and returned to the River Forth. The pump would serve huge greenhouses the size of 14 football pitches used for food production and could create around 270 permanent jobs.
The energy plant will also have the potential to provide a district heating network for surrounding communities including Throsk and Fallin, Springkerse Industrial Estate, and even the forthcoming ‘supervillage’ at Durieshill.
The glasshouses will use the heat, electricity and CO2 generated at the low carbon energy plant to grow tomatoes – around 150 million of them.
In a submission to council planners, the company’s agent Tom McDonald said: “Around 70 per cent of tomatoes consumed in Britain are produced outside the
UK, and most of the remainder in the south of England.
“High quality, high value tomato crops will be grown here year-round, in state-of-the-art glasshouses utilising advanced LED lighting along with heat energy and CO2 produced onsite.
“This proposal seeks to reestablish a ‘traditional’ Scottish crop generating substantial savings in food miles.”
The developers say measures such as blackout blinds will prevent light nuisance from the glasshouses, while the energy plant will be clad in a light olive finish and should be inconspicuous.
Around 100 members of staff would be on site at any one time, but existing roads are expected to be adequate other than some widening of 250 metres of roads leading to the glasshouses.
The company say the development offers “a unique opportunity to regenerate the Bandeath area while directly responding to ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change”.
Issues raised at a preapplication public consultation were said to have included traffic, air quality, noise and the impact of the amenity of Throsk and the surrounding area, and questions raised about the production of heat and energy from waste.
However, there was also said to be some general support for the principle of an energy hub.
Since a public exhibition, the developers say they are now focusing on the provision of glasshouses, the river source heat pump installation, energy centre and other aspects, with some elements of their initial indicative masterplan not forming part of the current application. A suite of technical reports covering matters such as environmental impact will also be lodged.
The site was previously part of the Bandeath Munitions Depot established from 1914 until its closure in 1978, and has most recently been arable brownfield land.
In 2012 Stirling Council’s planning panel unanimously rejected an application for permission in principle by Powercrofters Ltd for a wasteto-energy plant at a site next to west of Bandeath Lodge, on the other side of Throsk, despite it being recommended for approval by council planners. Cogent Energy later lost an appeal lodged against the refusal on behalf of
Powercrofters.
Residents voiced concerns about the impact of the proposal and attracted backing for their objections from communities further afield and from Friends of the Earth.
Bandeath Holdings, however, say the new project would be groundbreaking in environmental terms, and that points made in the Scottish Government planning appeal reporter’s findings had been taken into account.