Methven CC pellet plant concerns, 23 Sept 2011
Methven pellet plant row Sep 23 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday
METHVEN residents objecting to controversial proposals for a sawdust-drying operation near the village took a swipe at Perth and Kinross Council this week.
Voicing concerns over change of use plans for buildings at South Cassochie Farm, community council chairman Peter Pearson and nearby resident David Ebdy were highly critical of steps taken to monitor a two-year trial period which ended earlier this year.
Mr Ebdy complained that air quality had been badly affected by sawdust emissions, recalling how it had layered-up on winter snow on garden furniture and on cars 350 yards and more from the plant.
Noise and road traffic issues were also voiced to the development control committee, which opted to defer a decision on the application pending further advice on that and the effectiveness of new technology and potential noise abatement measures.
An agent for the developer, who is keen to press on with the farm diversification project, said grass drying had been conducted at the farm since the 1970s and now sawdust drying to create briquettes for wood burning stoves was planned, creating two additional full-time posts from current part-time work.
Aware of the problems created by dust, the applicant had carried out extensive research and a £30,000 “multi-cyclone” kit would provide 98% efficiency ratings.
Objecting to the plans, Mr Pearson said the community council had been unanimous in its decision to object and it was time for councillors to “stop and think again”.
He said health risk fears had been expressed by villagers and they weren’t convinced council staff had adequately expressed dust and noise nuisance concerns raised during the trial period.
The community councillor also maintained the rural road wasn’t up to handling heavy lorries accessing the plant, with Glenalmond College among the objectors.
Mr Pearson also queried how working hours of 7.30am to 11pm could be a “normal working week” when it added-up to 86 hours. “Who are you kidding?” he asked.
A council environmental health officer stressed that the department had acted on “a small number” of complaints early in the trial process.
The dust levels in the air were well below Scottish guidelines and no noise nuisance was substantiated.
That assurance came in response to Mr Ebdy’s claims that residents were concerned at what they could be breathing in, with sawdust emanating from the stack and from lorries.
“We would feel a lot happier if we knew what was coming out of it,” he said.
He also claimed council officers had not responded to noise complaints during the trial phase at the adjacent farm.
METHVEN residents objecting to controversial proposals for a sawdust-drying operation near the village took a swipe at Perth and Kinross Council this week.
Voicing concerns over change of use plans for buildings at South Cassochie Farm, community council chairman Peter Pearson and nearby resident David Ebdy were highly critical of steps taken to monitor a two-year trial period which ended earlier this year.
Mr Ebdy complained that air quality had been badly affected by sawdust emissions, recalling how it had layered-up on winter snow on garden furniture and on cars 350 yards and more from the plant.
Noise and road traffic issues were also voiced to the development control committee, which opted to defer a decision on the application pending further advice on that and the effectiveness of new technology and potential noise abatement measures.
An agent for the developer, who is keen to press on with the farm diversification project, said grass drying had been conducted at the farm since the 1970s and now sawdust drying to create briquettes for wood burning stoves was planned, creating two additional full-time posts from current part-time work.
Aware of the problems created by dust, the applicant had carried out extensive research and a £30,000 “multi-cyclone” kit would provide 98% efficiency ratings.
Objecting to the plans, Mr Pearson said the community council had been unanimous in its decision to object and it was time for councillors to “stop and think again”.
He said health risk fears had been expressed by villagers and they weren’t convinced council staff had adequately expressed dust and noise nuisance concerns raised during the trial period.
The community councillor also maintained the rural road wasn’t up to handling heavy lorries accessing the plant, with Glenalmond College among the objectors.
Mr Pearson also queried how working hours of 7.30am to 11pm could be a “normal working week” when it added-up to 86 hours. “Who are you kidding?” he asked.
A council environmental health officer stressed that the department had acted on “a small number” of complaints early in the trial process.
The dust levels in the air were well below Scottish guidelines and no noise nuisance was substantiated.
That assurance came in response to Mr Ebdy’s claims that residents were concerned at what they could be breathing in, with sawdust emanating from the stack and from lorries.
“We would feel a lot happier if we knew what was coming out of it,” he said.
He also claimed council officers had not responded to noise complaints during the trial phase at the adjacent farm.