Plans for a recycling and energy centre that could provide heat and power to homes and businesses in North Lanarkshire have been unveiled.

Developer Airdrie North, a subsidiary of the Gillespie Investment Group, said it had submitted a detailed planning application to North Lanarkshire Council for the project it announced last year.

It hopes to build a £250m plant which it says would create an average of 150 construction jobs, rising during peak construction periods, as well as direct employment for up to 65 people.

The construction of the centre would require the re-routing of the A73, creating a by-pass east of Airdrie town centre at a cost of £40m.

The centre would have the capacity to process up to 300,000 tonnes of waste per year and recycle a further 50,000 tonnes, helping to divert a significant level of waste from landfill. That would enable a district heating system to provide sufficient energy to heat up to 30,000 homes, local businesses and public buildings such as hospitals.

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The submission of the planning application follows a consultation process involving exhibitions and meetings with the council, Scottish Natural Heritage, SEPA and A+DS, as well as residents in six local communities.

Scott Gillespie, Managing Director of Airdrie North, said: "Our proposals focus on creating an exemplar centre that will deliver a substantial amount of energy from waste. It will also deliver real economic benefit to the area. We have looked at the best possible models abroad and are committed to developing a facility for Scotland that will be amongst the best in the world."

He said the principle of re-cycling household waste rather than send to landfill was well understood in the consultation and "especially pertinent in today's economic climate of rising energy bills", adding: "This centre could only operate by conforming to the strictest environmental regulations laid down by government at local and national level."

The family-controlled Gillespie group, known for its mining interests and connections with Rangers chairman David Murray, runs the Airdrie Regeneration Partnership.

(GK/JM)