Furious residents in the Howe of Fife have vowed to create a stink about plans for an anaerobic digestion plant between Freuchie and Kingskettle.
It would be powered by around 24,000 tonnes of feed-stock a year, made up of carrots, grass silage, distillery waste, manure and slurry.
The feedstock would then be used to create biogas, which would be burned in generators to create power and possibly feed the National Grid.
But horrified locals have pledged to fight the plans “as forcefully as possible” amid fears of pollution, unacceptable smells and increased traffic.
They have also criticised Fife Council planners, who have decided that an environmental impact assessment is not needed, despite the proposal meeting one of the criteria.
Planning regulations state that any such development over half a hectare should be subject to an environmental impact assessment.
The proposed site is 1.96 hectares but planning officials say that an assessment is not necessary because the potential impacts are “limited”.
In a report, local authority planner Martin Patrick says that the visual impact of the development would be minimal but concedes that it could pose a risk to nearby watercourses and wetland habitats through spillage of waste materials.
However, he said that the risk was not significant enough to require a detailed study.
More than 100 concerned residents turned up at a recent public meeting held by Kettle Community Council and a second is to be arranged as soon as the formal application is lodged.
“We intend to assemble a sub group that will include people from Ladybank, Giffordtown, Balmalcolm and Freuchie, which are the other four communities that would be affected,” said a spokesman.
“We intend to enlist the assistance of a consultant.”