Hans J Marter

17 June, 2006

THE COMPANY behind controversial plans to build a £10 million fishmeal factory in Shetland were yesterday (Friday) granted the final council permission necessary for the project to go ahead.

Members of Shetland Islands Council's marine development sub committee decided by four votes to two to permit Icelandic fishmeal producer Sildarvinnslan hf (SVN) to install a 200 metre seawater intake pipe and a 1,000 meter wastewater discharge pipe.

The council's planning sub committee had already granted planning permission for the factory at its meeting on 31 May. The same meeting approved a Notice to Develop (NID) by the council to build a 90 metre extension to the tug pier at Sella Ness, worth almost £6 million, to allow pelagic trawlers to land there. The pier extension still needs Scottish Executive approval.

Yesterday's decision was taken despite the fact that the entire neighbouring community of Graven has objected to the development as has the Delting Community Council. A third objection was received from Vic Thomas of Friends of the Earth.

The pipe would discharge wastewater into the waters of Sullom Voe, which is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive.

Representing the neighbours, Alec Miller told the meeting that the developer had only provided "inadequate environmental data" to back their proposal.

Mr Miller's statement was rejected by Dr Annie Say, the author of two environmental impact assessments on the project, who represented the developer at the meeting.

Dr Say said: "I feel confident that the development can go ahead in a fashion that will not impact on the integrity of the environmental site."

Councillor Brian Gregson moved to reject the plans saying the development based on blue whiting fisheries would be economically and environmentally unsustainable.

But councillor Gussie Angus told the meeting that such arguments could not be considered under the Zetland County Council Act 1974 which governs the sub committee.

He said: "Economic and environmental considerations don't fall into the remit of the ZCC Act. I am confident the measures put in place are robust, and I don't think we have any grounds for refusal."

SVN want to dismantle one of their existing factories in Iceland and transport it to Shetland where it will be rebuilt to the latest standards. They hope to process a minimum of 100,000 tonnes of fish a year. The factory would operate only 100 days a year and is expected to create five full time and 10 part time jobs.

Earlier this month it emerged that the European Commission is examining a complaint into a possible breach of state aid regulations surrounding Shetland Islands Council's support for the fishmeal factory, which they received from a Shetland resident, in May.

No decision has yet been taken to open a formal investigation.