Aberdeen City Council has announced the construction of a new combined heat and power plant (CHP) will go ahead.

Members of the Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee unanimously approved the plans for the CHP biomass plant .

The new facility will burn wood fibre and provide heat through hot water and steam and supply electricity to the national grid.

It is expected the plant will provide 90% of the Arjo Wiggins paper mill's heat requirements, while at the same time saving over 80,000 tonnes of CO2 annually through the heat and power it creates.

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The facility will be built at the mill’s Stoneywood site.

The development is expected to provide a new market within the local forestry industry by using wood for which there is currently no market.

Aberdeen City Council says this will lead to better woodland management.

Committee convener Councillor Ramsay Milne said: "The carbon savings of 80,000 tonnes a year will contribute to the city's efforts to meet our targets on carbon reduction and combat global warming. I'm hopeful that the electricity produced could be used for other future developments.

"I welcome the increased viability of a long-established local industry and hope that the plan will safeguard jobs for many years to come."

(IT)