June 21 2021

Plans to erect an energy waste recovery facility at Killoch in East Ayrshire have encountered stiff community resistance, with over 100 writing to object to the plans.

Led by Environmental and Wardell Armstong the facility is one of a new breed of incinerators designed to process non-hazardous and non-recyclable waste into energy. Situated within an old colliery the new plans supersede an approved 2017 application and relate to a 9.36-hectare site off the A70 on which will rise the energy recovery building and an associated 75m high flue stack (up from 55m previously).

Switching from a gasification plant to conventional energy from waste has necessitated the construction of a significantly larger plant, now extending to a height of over 47m.

In a statement Wardell Armstrong explained the choice of a curved roofline to reflect rolling agricultural land around, stating: "A curved roof would help to visually elongate the building and smooth out the high point of the building over the boiler hall. These largest parts of the building will be encompassed within the sweep of a unifying curve running the length of the complex. The design team also considered that a simpler façade, with elements to break up mass, would be appropriate within the wider landscape context."

Finished in a muted palette of green and grey cladding the industrial design includes an enclosed loading area where around 166,000 tonnes of waste will be delivered annually and locate offices, the reception and visitor centre to the north of the main complex to screen views from the road.

The latest application has been received badly by people living in the area, concerned by the emissions impact on local Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

6 Comments

#1 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 21 Jun 2021 at 13:22 PM

Surely carbon capture means we should put it into landfill?

Lots of places to dump it in the central belt.

Also what emissions are being allowed?
Surely it should be CO2 and little else?

#2 Posted by Whispering Andy on 21 Jun 2021 at 14:07 PM

Whisper it... but burying things in the ground produces less emissions that burning it...

#3 Posted by Potato Farmer on 21 Jun 2021 at 15:17 PM

But doesn't burning 'it' get rid of it, freeing up more space to bury other things?

#4 Posted by Gandalf the Pink on 21 Jun 2021 at 21:33 PM

The locals don't want it because they think it will be stinky and ugly. Absolutely nothing wrong with nimbyism - as long as they are honest about it. I have much more respect for a nimby worried about their view than one who pretends its a worry about a SSSI.

#5 Posted by Cadmonkey on 22 Jun 2021 at 14:04 PM

I love incinerator architecture.

#6 Posted by daniel Callaghan on 27 Jan 2022 at 18:22 PM

I live locally to this proposed installation and have absolutely no concern about it. I do think that the idea of using landfill instead of incinerating is a total cop out of why we need to reduce some of the landfill need.
Reducing this waste to dust is surely quantifiably a better proposal than polluting the land with non biodegradable waste?
This is, of course, is just my opinion!

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