A petition against a controversial waste water plant in a north village has smashed through the 1,000 signatures mark in just a week.
Opposition to the £11million scheme at Ardersier continued to gather pace yesterday, with Highland MSP John Finnie writing to Scottish Water to call for urgent talks.
The move emerged after the Press and Journal revealed that Holywood actress Dame Helen Mirren had told the campaigners she was backing their fight, having been married in the village in 1997, and that she would sign the petition against the plans.
And by last night the “Against Ardersier Waste Treatment Plant” petition had attracted more than 1,075 backers, just six days after it was launched.
Scottish Water won permission in 2011 for the development, which involves a major expansion of the existing waste water treatment works at Ardersier, a replacement outflow from the plant to the Moray Firth, and a new main sewer in the area east of Inverness.
The local community council objected at the time, but many residents had not been aware of the plans and, with initial stages of the work now getting under way, a new campaign was launched to try to block the project.
Scottish Water insists the work is essential to support plans to create a new town at nearby Tornagrain, but opponents say that their village should not be “sacrificed” to provide services for that development.
The campaigners claim there was not sufficient consultation by Scottish Water, that there has already been heavy traffic flowing through the village as a result, that protected species could be threatened and that the smell will deter tourists and damage the quality of life for local residents.
Scottish Water has organised an information event to discuss the plans between 3pm-7pm tomorrow at the War Memorial Hall in Ardersier.
Mr Finnie, Scottish Greens MSP for the Highlands and islands, said: “I’ve asked for a meeting with a senior member of Scottish Water, and I’m hoping for an early meeting.”
“I think the important thing to understand is what alternatives exist, why this scheme has been chosen and particularly, this has been a long time since it first emerged, so there must have been material changes.”
A Scottish Water spokesman has said there had been extensive consultation with the community before the plans were approved, and that concerns would addressed at tomorrow’s event.
He added: “We look forward to taking this opportunity at the information event to allay concerns, answer questions and provide clarification on the issues that are being raised.”
