North Planning Applications Committee members have confirmed the reasons why the council refused an application from Combined Power and Heat (Highlands) Limited to erect a residual waste to energy combined heat and power plant on land at the Cromarty Firth Industrial Park in Invergordon.

Members made their original decision to refuse the application on 18 August 2009. The applicant appealed The Highland Council’s decision and was successful. However this decision was quashed by the Court of Session. The appeal will now be determined by a Reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers at a Public Local Inquiry in June.

-- Advertisement --

"In light of the fact that over two and a half years have passed since the original Committee decision, today was an opportunity for members to review their original reasons for refusal and consider whether any of these reasons for refusal should be amended to reflect the changes that have taken place in the interim period," the council said.

After hearing from consultants Ironside Farrar who have prepared a planning statement reviewing the council’s position and AECOM who have reviewed traffic and transport issues surrounding the application, members unanimously agreed the recommendations contained within the consultants reports to add a new reason for refusal in light of the Councils adoption of the Highland Wide Local Development Plan and to amend some of the original reasons for refusal.

"It is vital that robust reasons for refusal form the basis of the Council’s case at appeal. Today’s decision was a positive step towards defending the decision, taken locally, to refuse planning permission," a spokesperson for the council added.

(GK)