A biomass plant near Elgin has been refused amid fears it would endanger road users and become a blight on the rural community.
Developers were grilled by councillors as they sought permission for an industrial plant on a Longmorn greenfield site.
Local objectors were also given a chance to raise their concerns with the council.
The plant would have processed distillery waste into biomethane to be used as fuel or injected into the gas grid.
Council officers had previously recommended the plant was refused after 51 objections were submitted.
What did the developers say?
Daniel Lambert, a director at developers Acorn Bioenergy, legal advisor Colin Innes and consultant Kenny Shand were grilled by councillors.
Officials had previously called into question Acorn’s choice of location, greenhouse emissions and economic benefits.
Daniel Lambert said Acorn’s plant would save 27,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, the equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off the road and lowering Moray’s emissions by 6%.
Mr Lambert argued the carbon emission savings had been verified by a third party and that they “stand strongly” behind their figures.
Colin Innes said the plant is both an “urgent and long term essential piece of infrastructure” for local distilleries and the Longmorn site was the best available.
Locals have their say
Postman Peter Regan addressed the hearing, giving his concerns on the proposal.
He said: “This development is taking us from living next to some of the most beautiful land in Scotland to living next to an industrial plant.”
The suggested 12-hour, seven days a week operation would be “blighting our lives every day for 25 years,” he added.
Mr Regan told councillors he had concerns on the smell and operation of the plant, and the dangers of more HGVs travelling and turning on the A941 Rothes road.
He added: “I love the idea of us using waste to produce energy, but I feel this is the wrong site at the wrong time.”
Road safety concerns for residents
Other local objectors David Duff and Neil Sneddon dismissed developer changes to make their proposed A941 access junction safer.
Mr Sneddon said: “Any junction facilitating slow moving traffic entering or leaving the A941 is going to be extremely dangerous and will undoubtedly result in more crashes, injury or worse.”
David Duff, an ex-policeman with over 30 years in traffic management said “people will die” on the road if the plans went ahead.
He said: “The nature of the transport going in and out of this plant is hazardous.
“Access to the plant really needs to be not just to the standard that is required but above the standard, otherwise people will die and I’ve seen enough death on the roads.”
Planners said Acorn had gone beyond the minimum road safety expectations, but councillors decided this was not enough.
Competitor scolds hopeful developer
David Olwell, a representative of Grissan Riverside Ltd also attended the hearing to object to Acorn’s proposal.
They currently run their own digestion plant at Glenfiddich distillery and have feedstock supply contracts with Chivas Brothers, William Grant & Sons and Diageo.
Mr Olwell told councillors the development provides “no local benefit” and Grissan cover much of the local area with their own business.
He said: “This is an almost ten-hectare development which gives rise to significant adverse and visual offence.”
“Approval for this case would set an unwanted precedent for both the council and the anaerobic digestion industry.”
Councillors decide on development
Councillors were unanimous in their decision to refuse the plant.
Draeyk van der Horn said the development would impact on designated countryside around town area, and agreed with the local road safety concerns.
He added the developer’s community contributions were “absolutely insufficient.”
Marc Macrae and Sonya Warren both agreed it was “great technology” but said Longmorn was the wrong place for the plant.
It is now up to Acorn bioenergy to decide if they will appeal the council’s decision.
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