Action group to take on dairy Residents oppose slurry operation plan
Kippen residents concerned about plans for an anaerobic digester on the outskirts of the village have formed an action group.
Graham’s The Family Dairy are proposing to turn cattle slurry into biomethane at Mains of Boquhan, 400 metres north of the A811 east of Kippen roundabout and around 2.5km from the village itself.
However, Kippen Community Council are against the scheme – pointing out that odour and air quality “could significantly impact on the immediate area”.
Other concerns about the scheme include flood risk and surface water, HGV access on the A811, biodiversity, and the impact on landscape.
By this week more than 80 individual letters of objection had been lodged with planners.
Kippen residents have now formed an action group and have been putting leaflets, outlining the pros and cons of the scheme, through village doors.
A Kippen Action Group spokesperson said this week: “The action group consists of around 100 people.
“We hope to raise awareness about Graham’s plans. We want to present both sides of the argument, so residents in the wider community can make an informed decision either for or against.
“We have also been putting leaflets through doors in the village. So far we have distributed 350 leaflets.”
Graham’s managing director Robert Graham pointed out last week that the proposed plant was a “closed operation” and the equipment sealed “to prevent odour and air quality issues”.
He added: “The plans have been the subject of extensive environmental testing. These were agreed through preapplication consultation and screening with Stirling Council and covered noise and air quality, landscape and visual analysis, flood risk and drainage, ecology, archaeology and transportation.
“They conclude that the plant can operate well within established environmental and amenity parameters due to the design, location and scale proposed.
“As a third generation family business that has farmed the Carse for over 80 years and now employs 657 colleagues, we are determined to ensure these plans make a positive contribution to the local landscape, environment, economy and community.”
Mr Graham also pointed out that eight vehicle movements a day (four in and four out) are forecast and these “will replace existing farm vehicle trips to ensure no additional traffic is generated”.
Council officials said earlier this year in a response to a scoping request from Graham’s they did not consider the proposal a threat to human health and the risk of accidents is “low if the operation is appropriately managed”, adding: “Whilst there will be some effect from the proposal on the environment, it is considered that these can be addressed through the design process, methods of construction and compliance with the legislation of relevant regulatory bodies.”
The deadline for submitting comments on the application to Stirling Council is Monday September 27.