Waste 'import' consultation

Bryan Copland • Published 16 Feb 2012 09:23 1 Comment

WASTE giant Viridor holds a public consultation next week on plans to 'import' waste from across central Scotland to a planned incinerator at Oxwellmains, near Dunbar.

The management firm is seeking to remove a condition contained within planning permission it received from the Scottish Government in December 2010 for a £200 million 'energy from waste' incinerator.

The condition specified that waste received and treated at the 300,000-tonne facility - near to where Viridor already has a landfill site - must be restricted to Edinburgh, the Lothians and Borders.

The incinerator had initially been rejected by East Lothian Council's planning committee against the advice of planning officials, but following an appeal and public inquiry, a Scottish Government reporter gave it the go-ahead.

Last month, the firm told the Courier it was seeking to remove the condition which it saw as "artificial" and to move in line with "fresh policy" from the Scottish Government and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Viridor must get written permission from East Lothian Council to remove the condition.

Critics have said the proposal was an "acknowledgement [Viridor doesn't] have a viable economic proposition".

Members of the public will now have their chance to have their say on the proposed removal of the condition at two events. The first takes place on Wednesday (February 22), 12.30-8pm in Hallhill Healthy Living Centre, Dunbar.

The second is on Thursday at Innerwick Village Hall, 11am-8pm.

Anyone wishing to make comments on the proposal must do so by March 8 to Martin Grey, Viridor Landfill Restoration, Oxwellmains, EH42 15W; via www.viridor.co.uk/consultation or by emailing scotland@viridor.co.uk

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• 

  Viridor
  Unregistered User
  Feb 16, 13:52
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  Viridor, Scotland’s leading recycling, renewable energy and sustainable waste partner, today (16th February) encouraged community representatives and residents to attend and comment at its stakeholder events next week regarding plans to ‘normalise’ waste reception criteria at its consented energy from waste plant at Oxwellmains, East Lothian.
  
  The company, which secured consent from Scottish Ministers in December 2010 for a £200m, 300,000 tonne energy from waste facility, will consult on plans, ahead of a formal application, to normalise planning conditions associated with the application in line with Scottish Government policy. Specifically the application will seek to remove an “artificial” restriction on the geographic areas from where non-recyclable residual waste may be received.
  
  The drop-in consultation events, where members of the project team will be on hand to explain the proposal in detail and answer any questions, will be held on:
  
  • WEDNESDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 2012
  
  Hallhill Healthy Living Centre, Dunbar
  
  12:30pm – 8:00pm
  
  • THURSDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2012
  
  Innerwick Village Hall, Innerwick
  
  11:00am – 8:00pm
  
  Information leaflets will also be available for members of the public to make comments on the proposal. These comments will be analysed and a summary of how any responses have been considered will be submitted with the planning application.
  
  Commenting, Martin Grey, Viridor’s Scottish Communications Manager, said:
  
  “Vital to translating Scottish Government zero waste policy into practice, Viridor is working in readiness to commence development of the energy from waste hub in 2012. As part of this, Viridor is seeking to remove an artificial boundary on waste reception, in line with fresh policy from Scottish Government and SEPA which recognises the inappropriateness of artificial restrictions on where waste can be sourced within Scotland.”
  
  Specifically, the SEPA guidance states:
  
  “This means that it is acceptable for any waste arising from any location within Scotland to be treated in any waste management facility proposed within Scotland.”
  
  Mr. Grey continued:
  
  “With no plans to change the technology, design or capacity, our application seeks only to bring the planning consent in line with Scottish Government and SEPA policy which emerged following the granting of planning permission, similar to other developments.
  
  “We understand that people want to know more about our plans and therefore look forward to talking with, and listening to local residents regarding the current application at our drop-in consultation events next week.”
  
  Following the stakeholder events, comments will be analysed and a summary of how any responses have been considered will be submitted with a planning application.
  
  Comments made at the consultation events are not representations to the planning authority. A subsequent planning application will incorporate normal neighbour notification and publicity will be undertaken at that time with stakeholders given the opportunity to make formal representations to the authority at that time.
  
  Further information on the proposal is available from www.viridor.co.uk/consultation or by emailing scotland@viridor.co.uk
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

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