NHS Ayrshire and Arran have lodged opposition to plans to instate an energy from waste plant at the Killoch site near Ochiltree, citing ‘good scientific evidence that it will directly increase respiratory symptoms and hasten the deaths of our residents for decades to come.’

The health board lodged their opposition with East Ayrshire Council planners on Monday [October 25], reasoning that the proposed incinerator ‘has the potential to detrimentally impact upon our population’s future long-term respiratory health’, ‘particularly children affected with asthma and those with other chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD.’

They also stated that ‘there is a responsibly to reduce our population’s environmental exposure to airborne pollution, not increase it’ and that the facility ‘will result in an industrial type building, increased transport (in particular heavy goods vehicles) in the area, all of which will likely have a negative impact on the quality of life of those living in and around this area.’

Referencing the upcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow, the board added that the application ‘undermines the importance of efforts to minimise the negative impacts of climate change’.

Michael Howes, spokesperson for the No to Waste Incinerator at Killoch group, said: “We strongly believe that incinerators do affect public health and so obviously we concur with what the health board are saying.

“This has come at an opportune moment to reinforce our view that SEPA should not grant a permit to Barr for various reasons, one of them being air pollution and effects on health.

“We are happy that the council is not going to look at the application until December, perhaps even January if it’s put back further. That’s giving us more time to build an argument and this health report will definitely support that.”