Shore Road incinerator project to be finally decided in January

Dec 4 2009

PERTH and Kinross Council is pulling out all the stops to make a final decision on the Shore Road incinerator project in January.

Council leader Ian Miller yesterday revealed the local authority is eager to have reports prepared for a special meeting of the full council. It is seeking further legal advice and procedural clarification from Holyrood.

At last week’s marathon development control committee, council officers were instructed to prepare a report for “an early council meeting” on the subject of revocation of the outline consent granted three years ago.

But the next scheduled meeting isn’t until February 24.

Councillor Miller said: “Because of the lack of guidance in relation to the process involved in revocation of a planning application, both in making the order and subsequently having it confirmed, council officers are seeking further legal advice on this matter and are also contacting relevant Scottish Government officers to seek clarification on the process. Both of these matters are being actioned as a matter of urgency.”

But he stressed: “Both councillors and officers recognise the importance of this matter to everyone involved, and accordingly every effort is being made to bring a report before a special council meeting before the end of January.”

The news was welcomed by Dave Beattie, of Bridgend Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council.

With the next full meeting not scheduled until February, he had feared valuable time would be lost and Grundon would be forced into an appeal over the development control committee decision

Mr Beattie said: “Grundon have three months to appeal the development control committee decision to unanimously reject their detailed plans for the incinerator.

“So this is good news and I applaud the council’s plan to hold a special meeting in January. Hopefully that will be achieved.”

The council statement was also welcomed by Councillor Peter Barrett, who observed: “We are in almost uncharted territory here and, while I fully sympathise with members of the public who have endured sleepless nights worrying about the prospect of the incinerator on their doorsteps, this isn’t something that should be rushed now.”

Councillor Archie MacLellan noted: “Whilst I welcome this clear statement it’s important that our senior officials accept that, on this occasion, actions speak louder than words.

“In the paper submitted to development control, it was acknowledged there had been mistakes and misjudgements. It is vital these errors are not exacerbated by a failure to bring forward a paper for consideration of revocation timeously. It is equally important of course that councillors are supplied with all relevant facts before making a decision and it is for this reason that I am prepared to wait until January – but no longer.

Councillor Alexander Stewart welcomed the council statement but stated: “We are now advised every effort is being made to bring a report before a special meeting but it’s not until January, because of a lack of guidance in relation to the process involved in revocation of a planning application.

“I would have hopedsuch guidance should have been considered along with other eventualities due to the importance of the matter.”