A controversial former chemical waste incineration site is to be redeveloped into a haulage depot more than 20 years after the plants demise and closure.
The land, which was used for wastes management by Re-Chem was acquired by Ian Craig (Haulage ) Ltd and is to be developed into a depot to enable expansion by the company.
The incinerator itself, was operated at Roughmute, Bonnybridge between 1975 and 1984.
More or less throughout the period it had been the subject of high profile protest, studies on the health effects of the animal and human population surrounding the site, a government report, legal action taken by a local farmer, and national exposure on the news networks.
The derelict ReChem incinerator at Roughmute, Bonnybridge
Re-chem eventually closed the plant in 1984 for 'financial reasons', though the locals consider that the company had been forced to close down.
Ian Craig (Haulage) Ltd inicated that they had completed extensive negotiations with waste management company Shanks Group, which had taken over Re-chem, to acquire the land.
The site has been subjected to an investigational study for contamination as part of the recent planning submission, and this resulted in the go ahead for the project. The Environmental Health Unit of the Falkirk Council reviewed a site investigation and risk assessment report submitted with the planning application and were satisfied with the remedial actions recommended in the report, subject to the preparation of a remediation strategy for each of the contaminants present on the site.
However, it was noted that the report did not appear to provide an adequate risk assessment of the possibility of the presence of ground gas on the site. An initial survey had provided acceptable gas readings but the Environmental Health Unit advised that on-going monitoring would be required, generally comprising of 3 to 4 visits over a one month period to adequately address the issue.
It has been decided to construct a concrete pad above the site as part of the development.
One local councillor called on the Shanks Group to put some of the capital fom the sale back into the community to make up for the years of uncertainty about health risks around the site.
There were also some local fears that Shanks may have decided to develop another waste managment facility at the site, which had been lying derelict for years.