Opponents divided over Shore Road stance

Mar 16 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

VOCIFEROUS anti-incinerator campaigners Bridgend Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council yesterday expressed “disappointment” that councillors are being advised to back-off from the revocation route.

Chairman Brian Raine said Perth and Kinross Council could be gambling with Perth’s future at next week’s special meeting.

“We want to stop this incinerator being built by the surest and quickest means possible, whatever that may be,” he insisted.

“Permission for the development has already been granted ‘in principle’ so Grundon are halfway towards their objective of having full planning consent.

“All that stands between them and their goal is to win an appeal against the council’s refusal of the detailed scheme last year.

“It is quite possible Grundon will lose but, statistically, 30 to 40 per cent of all appeals are successful and we do not think the council should stake everything against those odds.

“Revocation of the outline consent would wipe the slate clean and is the surest way to bring an end to this sorry and rather lengthy saga.

“The fact that the council own half the site has been known from the outset and, if they can defeat this proposal by withholding the landlord’s consent, we are surprised they have not acted upon this by now.

“We have asked through Freedom of Information to see the legal advice on which their opinion is based but our request has been turned down – so we have asked for a review on that decision.

“Until we see this and the report itself we will not abandon our belief that revocation is the safest route.”

But Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart welcomed “further movement” towards a resolution of the saga.

And he has appealed to would-be developers Grundon to come to Perth and settle with the council.

Mr Wishart said: “The threat of this polluting belching monstrosity has been hanging round the necks of the people of Perth for too long and I am satisfied that the issue can now be resolved without the need for massive compensation to the developer.

“The council’s legal advice is clear, that as the owner of the site it is not obliged to give permission for this incinerator to go ahead.

“The result is that compensation does not have to be paid, potentially saving the council several hundreds of thousands of pounds in payments to the developer.

“If Grundon successfully appeals the rejection on the reserved matters application, the council only needs to use its powers as landowner. Again, on the appeal, the council are confident that their position can be defended.

“There is also the added security that, if for whatever reason, all of this fails, the council can still invoke revocation, which Grundon have already stated to me they would not contest.

“I have spoken to Grundon and advised them to come up to Perth and settle this issue immediately.”