The decision to refuse an appeal regarding a controversial plan for a waste-to-energy facility may have sounded its death knell.
The Courier has learned that there are now only two options available to Grundon Waste Management following the decision by Dannie Onn, the Scottish Government’s reporter for the directorate for planning and environmental appeals, to dismiss the company’s appeal for the facility at Shore Road, Perth.
Grundon is yet to decide on its next move in what has been one of the longest-running planning sagas seen in Perth.
Politicians have expressed their delight at the decision to turn the appeal down and the Scottish Government outlined the two options now available to the Oxfordshire-based company.
A spokesman told The Courier: “If Grundon think there has been wrongdoing they can approach the ombudsman. The only other option would be to submit a fresh application to Perth and Kinross Council and this would involve a changed plan, taking on board the recommendations from the Scottish Government reporter.”
A spokeswoman for Perth and Kinross Council said the decision by Mr Onn was regarded as “concluding” the matter from a planning perspective.
“This should conclude the process unless Grundon’s legal team seek a judicial review, which is a matter for them,” she said.
Andrew Short, Grundon’s estates director, said the firm would now consider its position in terms of their “next steps”.
A public inquiry in Perth in November/December was hosted by Mr Onn. In his report issued earlier this week outlining the reasons for his refusal of the appeal, he concluded that the plan for the waste-to-energy facility would lead to “excessive noise” in the evening for residents.
He also found that “detailed measures” for the control of noise, dust and other forms of potential pollution had not been satisfactorily addressed at appeal.
In his report, Mr Onn stated: “The urban location of the appeal site is sensitive to the introduction of a large-scale plant. The risk of harm to the amenity of those living nearby is greater than it would be with a smaller facility or a more open location.
“The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) remains unconvinced that a licence could be granted for the facility as proposed here.
“It may be that a plant of the scale and type proposed could be shown to be acceptable, but the design before me has not evolved sufficiently to be sure that it could.”
The decision was warmly welcomed by a host of politicians, including Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.
She declared the move “good news for all of Perth”.
“Shore Road may be just outside my constituency but pollutant fumes are no respecters of boundaries,” she said. “The views of the people of Perth have been made clear and have been upheld in the face of Grundon’s continued appeals This whole saga has dragged on long enough it is time to move on.”
John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside,said: “This is the correct decision based on compelling evidence that this development would be harmful to the locality and the local population. I hope that the company will now accept the decision and this project will proceed no further.”