Portobello PONGS

BBC article giving the news of the rejection of Viridor's Planning Application for the Waste Transfer Station

Two letters written by Diana Cairns, Chair of PONGS in response to Viridor's reaction to the decision to refuse planning permission for the waste transfer station....

Letter to the Edinburgh Evening News, Tuesday 15 June 2010

In your article "Campaigners hail decision to throw out waste depot" (Thursday 10 June), Viridor's spokesman, commenting on the decision by Scottish Government Reporters to refuse planning permission for a waste transfer station in Portobello, claims that it is a bitter blow in the light of the new Zero Waste strategy and that there is a need for "next generation" facilities to deal with waste. However, it is disingenuous to argue that this decision is somehow not consistent with the strategy, as what was proposed for Portobello was not a "next generation" facility. It was a massive waste transfer facility which would have depended on vast quantities of residual waste (the very thing that the Zero Waste strategy is trying to eliminate) in order to ensure its financial viability, in other words it would have been a "last century" operation.

We argued from the word go that this facility was not needed in Portobello (or anywhere else for that matter), that it would have a detrimental visual impact on the surrounding residential conservation area, and have been vindicated by the Reporters' decision.

Letter to The Scotsman, 15 June 2010

Your report about the refusal of planning permission for a waste transfer station in Portobello ("Plans for £7m waste plant on the waterfront are rejected", Thursday 10 June) quotes Viridor's spokesman Colin Paterson as saying that: "It is frustrating that the visual impact of an industrial type building in an industrial location has ultimately led to the refusal". The reality is that, whilst the proposed waste transfer station would have been sited on a former freightliner terminal, it would have been in close proximity to many residential properties in the Portobello conservation area. The massive shed-like structure would have been a blot on Portobello's landscape and visible from several sections of the conservation area, as noted by the Scottish Government's Reporters in their decision.

Coupled with the lack of an identified need for the facility in the public interest in this location and of the scale proposed, this amounts to pretty robust reasons for refusal, vindicating the concerns that the community has had from the outset about this proposal.

Original campaign's victory statement

WE WON!!! PORTY 2 - VIRIDOR 0
After what seems like an interminable wait, we have finally heard that Viridor's appeal against the council's decision to refuse planning permission for the waste transfer station at Sir Harry lauder Road was dismissed by the Reporters. To read the report please go to www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk, reference number PPA-230-1061. (or jump to the decision and reasoning notice here)

The main reasons for refusal were the visual impact on the conservation area and the wider townscape (something that the council said would not be a problem) and the lack of clear evidence of the need for the facility in the public interest.

What a fantastic result for our community, which came together for this David and Goliath fight. Please see coverage at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh/2010/jun/09/edinburgh-portobello-was...

Many thanks are due to many people who contributed to this success. Thanks to the PONGS campaign group who worked tirelessly, to our fantastic planning consultant Suzanne McIntosh and QC Douglas Armstrong and all the witnesses who gave evidence at the inquiry. Thanks to our local elected representatives for their support and thanks to all those of you who supported the campaign in any way, e.g writing letters, delivering leaflets, making donations, helping at, attending or performing at the fundraising events, selling raffle tickets, making jam and cakes (blessed are the jam makers!), selling calendars, busking, spreading the word, etc, etc, etc. We could not have done this without you.

At the outset of this process, Viridor dismissed local opposition, telling a local resident that "a bunch of hairy women" has got a petition up against the waste site. Well all I can say is beware the hairy women!!!

We will be organising a party to celebrate soon, details to follow.
(dated 21st June 2010)