MSPs support bid to block Leith biomass plant

A BID to block plans for a controversial biomass plant on Edinburgh's waterfront has won cross-party support from MSPs.

• Leith Links Community Council's mock up of the scale of the proposed Leith Biomass Plant

A motion has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament calling for a ban on all large-scale biomass plants - such as the one earmarked for Leith - until a number of concerns have been addressed.

It specifically mentions planning applications by Forth Energy at Leith, Dundee, Grangemouth and Rosyth.

Proposed by SNP MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville, the motion now has the backing of Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm and Lib Dem MSP Hugh O'Donnell.

Campaigners have raised concerns about the environmental credentials of the plant, and the impact on air quality. Ms Somerville said: "There are a number of concerns about biomass and about Forth Energy's proposals.

"It's only right and proper that we get answers in order to help us find out if this is the green solution that Forth Energy are portraying.

"Forth Energy may have dealt with some of the issues, but I don't think they have proved that this is the green solution to Scotland's energy problems."

The parliamentary motion notes that concerns over emissions, air quality, odour, noise, traffic and visual impact should mean there is a ban on biomass plants for the time being.

It also notes that the environmental benefits of biomass plants are "very much in doubt" due to problems with sourcing sustainable wood.

Hundreds have now signed a petition calling on the Scottish Government to refuse Forth Energy's planning application.

Sally Millar, organiser of the No Leith Biomass Plant campaign, said: "We are opposed to this because it is not environmentally sound to chop down millions of tonnes of trees and transport them across the world only to burn them."

The 200-megawatt plant is expected to create between 500 and 700 jobs during construction and sustain a further 60 or so once operational.

However, environmentalists have raised concerns that fuel in the form of wood chip or wood pellets will be shipped from North America.

If given the go-ahead, the 300 million facility could running by the end of 2015.

Calum Wilson, managing director of Forth Energy, said: "We are proposing modern biomass plants that will operate to the very highest environmental and safety standards.

"We are intending to use imported biomass fuel that has been certified as sustainable by an internationally recognised third party such as the Forest Stewardship Council."

He added: "We are committed to ensuring that the fuel procurement process maintains high standards on environmental, social and economic grounds."