Petition opposing £36m Easter Ross Acorn Energy biogas bid hits initial target
A PETITION aiming to halt a controversial £36m Easter Ross biogas plant in its tracks has reached its initial 500-signature target.
Campaigners opposed to the Acorn Energy bid to build on land 350 metres south of Fearn Aerodrome say it’s “yet another disastrous” renewable heat incentive scheme.
The bid was rejected by Highland Council but has been appealed by Acorn.
Acorn Energy says the plant it wants to build near Fearn would generate enough biomethane to heat around 8000 UK homes or fuel 270 HGVs a year.
It claims that would equate to saving 33,520 tonnes of CO2, against standard UK grid emissions -comparable to taking 22,000 cars off the road or planting 1.3 million trees.
Community groups flagged concerns about the potentially “explosive” nature of the plant, road infrastructure and traffic management, claiming the network around Fearn and Balintore is not capable or fit for purpose to cope with many extra HGV movements each month.
Many felt a full environmental impact assessment should have been demanded right from the start of the planning process.
The Scottish Government has responded meanwhile in part to petitioners’ concerns about the appeal process.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a project or development proposal on the environment.
EIAs make sure that project decision makers think about the likely effects on the environment at the earliest possible time and aim to avoid, reduce or offset those effects. This ensures that proposals are understood properly before decisions are made.
A scoping report has been produced for Acorn by Mabbett & Associates and submitted to Highland Council as part of the appeal process.
However, Hilton-based Sandra Skinner has cast doubt over the integrity of the process.
She wrote: “I understand one aim of the Community Empowerment Act 2015 is to give communities more rights and influence. Considering the strength of local objection to Acorn Bioenergy anaerobic digester plant, it is difficult to see how this aim can be realised while faced with the Scottish GovernmentPlanning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) process.
“It is standard practice within the DPEA process, for the ‘Appellant’ (in this case Acorn Bioenergy) to both ‘select’ and ‘pay’ the consultant(s) to prepare the Scoping Report and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“It is difficult to imagine the integrity of any resultant report, particularly one used to influence the decision-making process, will not be open to criticism, or worse!
“Back in 2018, An Environmental Impact Assessment Review published in Science Direct concluded: ‘Bias is a frequent concern related with EIA; but there is a big difference between stakeholders' bias, which is unavoidable and due to different interests and expertise, and manipulation, an unacceptable bias to defend hidden or spurious interests.
“The literature on EIA frequently used the term bias, and more rarely manipulation or corruption, but tend to associate it with developers, or EIA consultants (by pressures from developers), while the public is considered to bring objectivity.’
“It’s difficult to perceive how local communities can be protected against such ‘manipulation’ within the current DPEA process.
“The Scottish Government Appeal Process should not only be fair, impartial and transparent, it should be seen to be fair, impartial and transparent – sadly, the current process appears to be neither!”
Petitioners have voiced concerns about “the flawed strategy of shifting vast swathes of arable land from food production to gas production amidst an apparent food and cost-of living crisis.”
They say: “This development would deliver a highly explosive plant adjacent to a small local distillery, a training airfield and in close proximity to industrial scale (60,670 tonne) distilled spirit storage units - what could the consequences be should an Oxfordshire type explosion occur with the closest emergency response being close to an hour away?”
It wants the Scottish Government Reporter to instruct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The independent reporter - who will decide this case - will shortly issue a direction setting out the extent of the environmental information assessment.
“All parties involved in this appeal will have the opportunity to comment on this information. It would not be appropriate, at this point, to comment on the merits ofthe proposals and the information submitted.
“The reporter will make his decision on the planning merits of the case having fully considered submissions made by all parties, including those from members of the local community.”
A spokesman for Acorn Bioenergy said: “We are currently in the middle of the appeal process following the appointment of the Scottish Government Reporter.
“The Reporter is asking a number of questions in relation to the plans for the Fearn site, which Acorn is responding to fully.
“We are confident that the Reporter will reach their own conclusion based on the information in front of them.”
