Air separation plant approved for Alloa despite community concerns

Following a lengthy session at last week's meeting of the Planning Committee at Clackmannanshire Council, elected representatives approved plans for the plant next to O-I Glassworks.

The plant, by industrial gases company Air Products, will separate air into oxygen, nitrogen and argon using a distillation process with storage on-site.

Much of the oxygen will be piped straight to the glassworks next door to fuel upgraded oxy-fuel furnaces. The move will reduce carbon emissions and ensure the viability of the business, which employs hundreds of people.

Representations from residents at the meeting raised a number of concerns over safety, noise, traffic, the application process and even TV signals as the development will feature a 56m high column – or "cold box" – where the cryogenic distillation of air takes place.

The site, which will also serve hospitals and other manufacturers in the food and beverages industry, will separately be subject to a hazardous substance consent by the Health and Safety Executive.

Four objecting residents from the nearby area made representations to the committee at the meeting after agents for the applicants detailed noise mitigation measures and more as they put their case forward.

While it was said that the development, thanks to design and acoustic barriers, would only generate noise 1db above the usual background levels, one resident with a modern hearing aid implant raised concerns over noise and the lack of consideration for the Disability Act in planning matters.

The fact that the plant is to operate 24 hours a day, all year round, with tanking vehicles to come at night, was also a concern for many.

Documents said the plant could see up to 15 vehicles visit during a full day and night cycle.

Agents for the company said that while clean vehicles of this size were not yet available, its HGVs are modern and generate as little noise as possible.

One resident, who said they worked in the oil and gas industry, told the meeting about the hazards that oxygen, which is combustible, as well as nitrogen and argon, which can lead to death, posed.

The resident said: "Why on earth would you want to build a plant like this, 30 metres from a local housing estate, 70 metres from Kidz [World] – a children's nursery?

"You've got Alloa Academy pupils who walk down Grant Street, cross the grass area along Kelliebank and past Craigward.

"Surely, this is unacceptable."

An engineering lead from O-I outlined the key benefits the facility will bring to the glassworks, which employs more than 500 people with the majority from the Wee County.

The project is part of a CO2 reduction strategy, supporting the Scottish Government's net zero roadmap.

The air separation plant will allow the modernisation of ageing furnaces, creating more jobs while there are risks around keeping old furnaces going.

The engineering lead said: "Should the worst case scenario happen and we experience a critical furnace failure between now and the rebuild date, we will not have the resources scheduled to rebuild the furnace, which will cripple O-I Alloa, putting over 500 jobs at risk."

The meeting heard that there has already been extensive planning around the plant and no statutory consultees, including the roads department, raised objections.

Ultimately, and on balance, elected representatives approved the plans, adding a condition that will place a requirement on the developer to financially contribute towards public art.

Eight other conditions were already in place before the meeting, including improvements to roads and footways, for safeguarding of TV signals over which 13 residents signed a petition and more.

Committee chair Dennis Coyne said: "The impacts for good and for ill could be great on the area.

"But I'm convinced by what I read and by what I heard that strong balance of probability is this will be a major improvement for Alloa in terms of employment, in terms of securing industry here."

He added: "I know there might be some impacts on the community and we have to consider amenity in our decisions, but I am convinced that the company will do everything it can to make sure these mitigations are effective."