Grundon urges Sepa over incinerator plan

Oct 11 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DEVELOPERS behind controversial plans to build an incinerator in Perth yesterday urged Scotland’s environment watchdog to give them enough time to respond to its feedback.

Grundon Waste Management has received feedback from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on the technical elements of the planning application for reserved matters submitted to PKC in May.

But while the company says it is confident that it can deal with outstanding technical issues raised by SEPA, it has spoken out on the agency’s assessment.

Bob Nicholson, Grundon’s estates director, said: “We have supplied SEPA with data on issues such as those relating to additional equipment on the site and it may just be that Sepa has not yet considered it.

“We remain ready, willing and able to continue to supply additional information to SEPA. However, we would make the point that the more information SEPA requests and the more we provide extends the time SEPA needs to consider the additional material.

“We hope that SEPA recognises that we need as much time to consider and respond to their feedback as they need to evaluate our additional information.

Unfortunate

“This concept would appear to be implicit to the iterative nature of planning application determination. It would be unfortunate if this important decision was made before all the information provided by both parties was given full consideration.”

SEPA sent its 29-page consultation response to the council last week.

A SEPAspokesperson said: “In commenting on the previous reserved matters application for this site, we highlighted problems associated with the small size of the proposed site, its proximity to sensitive receptors and its lack of buffer strips.

“It is acknowledged that the applicant has taken these into account in the choice of technology and layout of the site within this application. Nonetheless, these issues remain and are a recurrent theme when assessing the environmental impacts of the proposal.

“The proximity of sensitive receptors and the location within the Perth Air Quality Management Area requires us to have a high degree of confidence in predicted environmental impacts.”

SEPA has lodged an objection to Grundon’s proposals, citing concerns about potential noise impacts, air quality and odours, and a lack of information on sustainable urban drainage systems and firewater provision.

“In the course of developing our response, we sought additional information from the applicant,” the spokesman added.

“We received this just before the deadline for our response and although we were able to review most of the information, we have agreed to provide a detailed response relating solely to air quality issues by November 8.”