Recycling centre outside gates of Piper Alpha memorial park wins council approval

ABERDEEN City councillors were accused of “environmental philistinism” yesterday after they approved controversial plans for a waste recycling centre close to the entrance of a popular city park.

The proposals by waste management firm SITA to establish a recycling centre on the former Grove Nursery site, next to Hazlehead Park, had attracted 246 letters of objection and three protest petitions.

Opponents claimed the new facility could create traffic, noise and odour problems and affect the Piper Alpha disaster memorial garden in the park. The Piper Alpha rig exploded into flame in 1988, killing 167 men.

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But the application was approved eight to three at the council’s development management sub-committee.

Councillor Martin Greig condemned the decision. He said: “This unwelcome industrialisation of Hazlehead Park is devastating. The plant will destroy the park for future generations. This is an unwelcome act of environmental philistinism.

A council spokeswoman said: “The planning application is for a household waste recycling centre which will accept domestic waste only for recycling and disposal. It will not accept commercial waste.”