Dundee East MSP Shona Robison has voiced her support for the city council’s call to the Scottish Government to defer a decision on the controversial biomass plant proposed for the harbour.
The SNP public health minister, speaking as a constituency Holyrood member, said, “I have conducted my own survey of local residents’ views about the biomass proposal and it is very clear that there are concerns about air quality and the potential impact on public health of this development.
“I very much agree with the recommendations and conclusions of the experts in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency when they state that no licence could be issued for this biomass plant because of ongoing and unresolved concerns about air quality.
“NHS Tayside have also said that far better information and monitoring of air quality is now required. On this basis, I welcome Dundee City Council’s concentration on the importance of air quality and health issues.”
The Dundee biomass decision may not be decided until after the Scottish Parliamentary elections.
No timescale was available yesterday for the various conditions imposed by Dundee City Council on Monday evening to be met and for the final decision by the Scottish Government.
Dundee’s policy and resources committee voted by a narrow margin to ask the government to defer plans for the controversial plant at Dundee harbour pending a more complete environmental statement and information on air quality and public health.
This will include conditions on monitoring and mitigating air quality as a result of the proposed development and they have insisted that, if these terms are not met, the council will formally object to Forth Energy’s application. If this stage is reached, a full public inquiry will be triggered.
Yesterday a spokesman for the Scottish Government said, “We await correspondence from Dundee City Council regarding their views on the development.Further information”If requested by the council, ministers will ask the developer for any further information on the application and this information will be fully consulted on upon submission to the government.”
There was no indication how long it would take for the council’s request to be forwarded to Forth Energy and the request to be met and returned for councillors’ further consideration.
This could clearly take some time, and would be prolonged to allow a decision to be taken by Scottish ministers with or without a public inquiry.
As a consequence, the issue could be taken off the agenda until later this year, and certainly until after Holyrood elections in May.
Councillors have been told there may be considerable economic benefits from the biomass plant being ultimately approved.
It would be an investment worth £320 million and worth an estimated £26 million a year to the local economy.
Supporters say it would create at least 300 jobs at the construction stage, many of them going to local workers, and thereafter 40 permanent jobs plus 30 posts at Dundee port.
It has also been claimed it would pave the way to Dundee securing a future in the renewable energy industry with several hundred jobs should the city attract turbine manufacturing on the strength of its renewable energy credentials.
At Monday’s meeting Calum Wilson, Forth Energy’s managing director, told councillors, “Your support would be a clear message that Dundee is open for business and is open for the renewables business.”
The meeting heard, however, that the plant would add to the already excessive level of nitrogen dioxide in the area, although not by much, and there are other public health and environmental dangers.
SNP administration leader Ken Guild said that despite the argument that the biomass plant would provide economic stimulus to Dundee, investment and jobs could not override public safety.
Conservative Derek Scott asked, “What is the point in having an air quality plan to reduce emissions and then agree, even in principle, to a plan that will add to emissions?”AsthmaLabour’s George Regan said Dundee already has the second highest rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Scotland and there are many sufferers from asthma in the city.
“People are already having to breathe air that is not as pure as it should be,” he continued. “These people have a right to expect elected members to look after their interests, and people are worried.”
Supporting the application trusting the view that air quality would not significantly worsen “would be a gamble,” he added.
Independent member Ian Borthwick was impressed by the quality of the deputations who had addressed the council, from Forth Energy to pressure group Residents Against Tay Turbines (RATTs) to local environmentalists and a bed and breakfast proprietor concerned the biomass plant might drive away tourists.
He told the council chamber, “I don’t think there is a person in this room who does not have lingering doubts about the effects from this proposal on the health of the people.”
Lord Provost John Letford said the successful motion to defer for more information and conditions to be met was acceptable.
He added, “Let us not forget the hundreds of workers in Dundee who are looking for a job.”
Labour’s Laurie Bidwell was troubled by the appearance of the plant.
He asked, “We are removing Tayside House from the centre of Dundee but are we replacing one carbuncle with another?”
Councillor Guild’s motion was carried by 14 votes to 13. The amendment by Councillor Scott and supported by Labour and Independent as well as Conservative councillors was that the council formally objects on environmental, planning and road traffic grounds.
This would have triggered a public inquiry without recourse to more information.
Tory Rod Wallace said the successful motion was “a cop-out,” but that was the nature of politics.