Waste company Combined Power and Heat (Highlands) Ltd has not done its homework thoroughly enough to demonstrate that the plant proposed for Invergordon can run safely and efficiently, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

A raft of issues need to be resolved before SEPA can make any judgement on the waste-to-energy combined heat and power plant which will see 200 tonnes of rubbish burnt every day at the site of the former aluminium smelter.

This week local Highland Councillor Maxine Smith said SEPA's concerns needed to be taken "very seriously".

Among the concerns raised by SEPA are:

• The development does not comply with SEPA's thermal treatment guidelines, in particular for dealing with commercial and industrial waste, and left-over ash from the burning process;
• Odour from the plant and its affect on neighbouring premises on the industrial estate;
• The noise assessment by the applicant indicates a potential impact for residents on the Inverbreakie estate during the night time, exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines.
• Doubts over whether the technology the company proposes using is the best for the job;
• Why the company has based its meteorologial studies on Kinloss which is 35km away from Invergordon, instead of nearby Tain, and why only four years' worth of data has been used. SEPA says it is therefore unable to fully assess the air quality impacts of the proposals on the surrounding land uses and whether the site location is suitable.

SEPA questions the need for such a plant given that the council is also considering a 8,000 tonne waste-to-energy plant on Skye.

It also points to a lack of information about whether the company intends to use sustainable transport such as the Invergordon rail link, to keep heavy lorries off the local road network.

Highland Council's senior planner Ken McCorquodale said: "The application is being held in abeyance until the applicant comes forward with better details and I will not be determining the application until we have all that information. It's very much in the hands of the applicant and they have given me no indication as to when it might be coming forward."

Councillor Maxine Smith said: "I have a meeting scheduled with council planners to discuss the objections from SEPA in the next few weeks. It is certainly something we have to take very seriously."

She said the planning committee would need to consider any recommendations from the council with regard to Tomich junction and any need for infrastructure improvements, and added: "I am still waiting for the applicant to prove his case for this development and moreover prove its safety to me in terms of any associated health issues, as well as the problems SEPA foresee. If and when he does this then we as a committee can weigh up all of the pros and cons and make a decision."

Two local community councils – Invergordon and Ardross – have objected to the application, while Saltburn has raised concerns.

A Combined Heat and Power spokeswoman said the company had now provided SEPA with the required information.

But yesterday SEPA said: "SEPA is still awaiting additional information and no further action will be taken until it is received."

editor@north-star-news.co.uk

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