Midlothian approve plans for waste treatment facility

The Midlothian Council Planning Committee today unanimously granted planning permission in principle for modern, efficient waste treatment facilities to be constructed near the site of the old rail marshalling yards in Millerhill.

Zero Waste: Edinburgh and Midlothian applied for planning permission earlier this year to develop the site into a state of the art waste treatment facility.

A major consultation exercise was carried out by the project over the space of a year beginning in November 2009.

The Project Director, Gordon Pollock, said he was very happy with the outcome of the application. He said: “This is a major step in making sure we can deliver modern and sustainable waste treatment for the people of Edinburgh and Midlothian.  The site at Millerhill is ideal for a number of reasons and the work and research undertaken to prove this has paid off.”

A detailed planning application for the site will not be submitted until a contractor has been identified to build the facility.  The first facility which is currently being tendered will deal with food waste.  It is likely the successful bidder will submit a planning application in late summer 2012 following further community engagement.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, Environment Leader at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We are moving in the best possible direction for the future of waste treatment.  The decision helps to create a new era in management of waste for the area.  We will be treating all waste as a resource, as it should be; starting with food and graduating on to other types of waste that can’t be readily recycled.

“I welcome the decision of Midlothian’s Planning Committee and congratulate the project on securing this site for this important piece of infrastructure.”

Alastair Young, associate director at Scottish Futures Trust, said:  “SFT has been working with Zero Waste: Edinburgh and Midlothian Council for the past two years to support the development of their waste infrastructure projects.

“This important milestone in gaining planning permission in principle for facilities at Millerhill will provide a sound platform for their current and future waste infrastructure projects.”

For more information on the Zero Waste Project you can visit www.zerowastefuture.com.