Garlaff landfill Site, Skares - Barr Ltd - East Ayrshire Council

licenced waste disposal sites within the District to meet anticipated demand until
2000. Garlaff was not designated on the Rural Areas Map in 1995 for landfill just
as it is not designated on the EALP Rural Areas Map. We assume that there is
no designation on the previous adopted Catrine and Sorn Plan.
The policies of the finalised Cumnock and Doon Valley Local Plan
are material considerations in the determination of this application.
However having been superseded by the EALP it is considered that
minimal weight should be attached to them. The proposed
development site falls within the area covered by the adopted
Cumnock and Auchinleck Local Plan, not the adopted Catrine and
Sorn Local Plan.
4.16 If the Council wishes to improve the chance of investment in the southern
part of its area then accepting South Ayrshire’s waste together with delaying
restoration of another opencast site for a generation will not improve the area’s
prospects, nor halt its increasing rate of depopulation.
The comments of the objector are noted.
4.17 This application will have an impact on surrounding residents. The
Scottish Executive has asked for very careful assessment of dust generating
operations within 1000 metres of sensitive receptors, yet the applicant states
that you are only at risk if within 200 metres. As the applicant accepts that there
are high potential dust emissions, MEGA questions their conclusions that
receptors will be vulnerable on only one day per month, particularly when they
have used inaccurate wind roses for this area being those for Prestwick Airport.
We ask that the Council employs a quite independent dust expert to assess the
clear dust problem at Garlaff.
An assessment of the potential impact associated with dust is
given in the Environmental Impact Statement that accompanies the
planning application. The EIS indicates that the potential for severe
dust impact is greatest within 100 – 200 metres of dust generating
activities. The risk of dust impacting on sensitive receptors depends
on a number of factors and whether these occur at the same time,
not on the basis of distance alone. While it is accepted that some of
the operations such as the extraction of coal and the stripping,
storage and restoration of soils have the potential for dust
generation, it is considered that the landfilling operations will not
result in significant dust impact as the waste will predominantly
comprise biodegradable household and commercial waste, which is
generally resistant to dust emissions due to particle size and the
inherent moisture content. No problems associated with dust
nuisance from the existing landfill operation have been indicated
through SEPA, the consultation process or through the
representations received. Furthermore, the mitigation measures
proposed in the EIS to control impacts associated with dust should
ensure that such potential impact is minimised. It is not considered