The Scottish Government has upheld Moray Council’s decision to reject plans for a biomass plant near Elgin. The proposed facility, by Acorn Bioenergy, was to be built at Longmorn to convert distillery waste into biomethane fuel, reports The Northern Scot.
The Oxford- and London-based company claimed the plant would reduce carbon emissions by 27,000 tonnes annually — the equivalent of removing 18,000 cars from the road. However, Moray Council’s planning committee unanimously refused permission for the project in April, citing environmental and community concerns.
Acorn Bioenergy appealed the decision, but the appeal has now been dismissed by the Scottish Government. The company has six weeks to decide whether to take the case to the Court of Session. To succeed, it would need to prove that the government made a legal error rather than simply a poor judgment.
One of the main reasons for the council’s refusal was the anticipated increase in heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic along the A941 route between Elgin and Rothes, as the plant would have operated around the clock. Local residents and officials also raised concerns about the potential noise generated by the facility.
With the appeal rejected, the proposed biomass project now faces an uncertain future.
