The Integrated Resource Recovery Facility (IRF) requires both planning consent and a Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) Permit.

A planning application for the IRF was submitted to Aberdeenshire Council on 31st July 2020 and was approved at a full Aberdeenshire Council meeting at the end of June 2021.

The planning application includes:

• Planning Design & Access (PDA) Statement
• Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), including a Non-Technical Statement (NTS)
• Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) report
• Heat & Power Plan

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a key part of many large-scale planning applications. The EIA process is an information gathering exercise carried out by independent experts on behalf of Agile Energy and other bodies. This will enable Aberdeenshire Council, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the local community to fully understand the environmental effects and impact of the proposed development.

In response to the extensive consultation exercise, the EIA has addressed the following key areas:

• Hydrology, Geology & Hydrogeology
• Ecology & Ornithology
• Landscape & Visual
• Noise
• Air Quality
• Traffic & Transport
• Socio-economics
• Cultural Heritage
• Residual Effects