Update - 24 Mar 2021 - Scottish Ministers dismiss the appeal and reject the planning application

In October 2014 the Malcolm Group issued an initial proposal of application notice (PAN) outlining plans to install a gasification plant at their site at 865 South Street in Whiteinch.

Following the PAN notice being issued several community organisations came together to discuss the proposal and how we could raise awareness of the proposed development in the local community and agree how we should respond to the proposal as local residents, as organisations and collectively.

The campaign objected to the development on the following issues:

• the negative impact on air quality and health
• the proposed technology is unproven
• the lack of continuous monitoring of emissions from the proposed plant
• the lack of a viable end user of the heat generated from the proposed plant
• the lack of information about the source and type of materials for the feedstock
• the negative impact on the traffic and transport in the area
• the negative impact on the neighbouring area which includes schools and a hospital

The Council rejected the application based on the following:

1. The proposal was not considered to be in accordance with the Development Plan and there were no material considerations which outweighed the proposal's variance with the Development Plan.
2. The proposed stack, by virtue of its height and appearance, would detract from the overall amenity of the area.
3. Due to the location of the proposal the operation of the proposed facility would adversely affect residential amenity.

Partners

Organisations involved included Whiteinch Community Council, Scotstoun Community Council, Yoker Community Council, Jordanhill Community Council, Thornwood Community Council, Scotstoun Conservation Area Residents Association, Victoria Park Residents Association, Harland Cottages Residents Association, Friends of Victoria Park and Glasgow Eco Trust. The campaign has also been supported by the UK Without Incineration Network.

The full planning application was submitted in March 2015 to Glasgow City Council, who rejected the application in February 2016. The Malcolm Group lodged an appeal in May 2016 and a report was submitted to the Scottish Government Ministers in January 2017.

Update - 24 Mar 2021 - Scottish Ministers dismiss the appeal and reject the planning application

Planning Appeal website

Timeline

The campaign timeline...

2014

• 7 Oct 2014 - proposal of application notice received
• 3 Dec 2014 - public consultation event at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre
• 14 Dec 2014 - site visit for interested parties

2015

• 24 Feb 2015 – second public consultation event at Whiteinch Centre
• 6 Mar 2015 – full planning application submitted
• 1 Apr 2015 – campaign photoshoot at site
• 24 Apr / 1 May 2015 – deadline for submitting comments
• 29 Apr 2015 – revisions to application submitted
• 3 Aug 2015 – revisions to application submitted

2016

• 12 Jan 2016 – Planning Committee meeting
• 9 Feb 2016 – air pollution petition success
• 23 Feb 2016 – Planning Committee public hearing
• 29 Feb 2016 – planning application refused
• 5 May 2016 - Scottish Parliament election
• 6 May 2016 – appeal submitted to DPEA
• 17 Jun 2016 – Reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers
• Jun 2016 – air quality monitoring station placed in Whiteinch
• 6 Jul 2016 – Reporter site visit undertaken
• 4 Oct 2016 – appeal ‘called in’ by Scottish Ministers

2017

• 23 Jan 2017 – report submitted to Scottish Ministers for consideration
• Apr 2017 – target date for Ministers to make decision
• 4 May 2017 – Scottish Local Government elections
• 8 Jun 2017 – Westminster General Election
• 22 Jun 2017 – report returned to DPEA for further information
• 11 Jul 2017 – procedure notice issued to appealant, Glasgow City Council and SEPA
• 4 Oct 2017 – supplementary Report submitted to Scottish Ministers

2018

• 8 Jan 2018 – 3 month deadline for decision by the Scottish Ministers missed

2019

• Jan 2019 – Scotstoun Community Council write to Scottish Ministers about the delay in the decision on the appeal
• 8 Feb 2019 - Scottish Government write to WH Malcolm seeking further information on the heat recovery element of the proposal. Deadline for responding is Friday 1 March.
• 16 May 2019 - additional information submitted to the Scottish Government by WH Malcolm and Glasgow City Council
• 21 Jun 2019 - Deadline for interested parties to respond to the Scottish Government

2020

• Appeal is still ‘under consideration’

2021

• Mar 2021 – appeal is still ‘under consideration’
• Mar 2021 - UK Without Incineration Network call for moratorium on new incineration capacity across the UK
• 24 Mar 2021 - Scottish Ministers dismiss the appeal and refuse planning permission - full decision letter is available on the Planning Appeal website
  • Article in the Clydebank Post
  • Article in the Glasgow Times
  • Article on Glasgow West End Today