The sun has set on plans to build a waste incinerator with a 230ft chimney in Scotstoun.

Although not immediately within our area, the plans sparked objections from many neighboring Community Councils and within Kelvindale there were many concerns over the aesthetic and environmental impact of the plans.  Here is a transcript of the article n the Evening Times on 24th February, 2016, written by Vivienne Nicoll.

“CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a waste incinerator with a 230ft chimney in Scotstoun have been thrown out.

Members of the city council’s planning committee decided by 11 votes to three to reject the scheme which had been recommended for approval by senior officials.

The plea to refuse permission for the waste plant was moved by former Lord Provost and Garscadden/Scotstounhill councillor Liz Cameron.

She said: “I moved refusal because I think it is the wrong site and the chimney stack was too high.
“I am the green ambassador for the city so was conflicted but I felt it would not be for the good of my area and the people who felt very passionate about it.

“They ran a really rational and measured campaign and I felt they needed my backing.”

Construction giants WH Malcolm had applied to develop a waste disposal plant at its existing depot in South Street which would have turned waste into energy.

It would have used a method called gasification which involves treating waste in temperatures up to 1400 centigrade to produce a gas.

But the move resulted in almost 1000 objections from a range of individuals and organisations including Bill Kidd MSP, city councillors, six community councils, Friends of Victoria Park, residents’ associations, school councils and Friends of the Earth.
They were worried about an increase in the number of lorries visiting the site and the potential health risk of fumes and toxins sprayed out from the chimney.

Gillian Morgan, chairwoman of Whiteinch Community Council, who addressed the planning committee, admitted she was “gobsmacked” by the decision.

She said: “We knew it was not a foregone conclusion but we certainly were not expecting it to be rejected because the planner had recommended it. We are absolutely delighted and I am a little bit amazed.

“It was a very interesting and well conducted meeting and the discussion lasted more than two hours.

“One of the main issues I raised was that we were asking for a 250m buffer zone between the people who live in the area.
“We were also concerned about existing air quality and we didn’t want any more added to it and we were also concerned about noise, vibration and dust. A lot of the debate was about the impact of heavy goods vehicles.
“We worked together right across the community on opposing this development but tried to avoid creating hysteria.””