Councillors urged to take control as incinerator deadline approaches

Sep 15 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A PERTH community council has contacted every single councillor, urging them to over-rule their planning and legal officers – and revoke the outline consent for the controversial giant incinerator, planned for the city’s Shore Road.

But Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council secretary Margaret Cairns has warned that time is running out – the determination period to consider the Grundon Waste Management planning bid expires on October 3.

The letter states: “Various aspects of this proposal are now concentrating the minds of the people of Perth – the legality of the outline planning consent, the levels of noise and pollution associated with such developments, the long-term effect on health, especially of young children, and more immediately, the impact on property valuations.

“All things considered, the community council believes it is now time for the councillors of Perth and Kinross Council to take control of this situation and not leave this vital matter in the hands of unelected officials in the planning and legal departments.

“It is with this in mind that we urge each and every councillor to consider a solution that is fair to both Grundon Waste Management and the people of Perth.

“We believe that the only sensible way out of this impasse is for councillors to support a motion for revocation of the outline planning application.’’

Cancellation of the outline application would mean the reserved matters application would fall away and would be the quickest, simplest and most cost-efficient method of resolving this issue.

“Council officers are currently in denial over this development and advising councillors that there are sufficient grounds to reject this application.

“This is very contentious and highly dangerous. No reasonable person would share this view, let alone someone with a working knowledge of planning procedures.

“If Grundon’s application is refused, the company will almost certainly go to appeal. Such an appeal will be both expensive and carry a high degree of risk.’’