THE prospect of the biggest industrial development in the Largs area in years cleared a major hurdle last week - but the project has sharply divided opinion in surrounding communities.
North Ayrshire councillors gave the green light to XLCC's plans for a cable manufacturing plant at Hunterston on Wednesday, May 26.
The company says it hopes to bring up to 900 jobs to the area.
Both Fairlie and Cumbrae Community Council strongly opposed the development, which will see a 185-metre tower being built at Hunterston - the tallest structure of its kind in Scotland - and raised serious noise and health concerns.
But their counterparts on Largs Community Council came out in support of the development due to the economic boost and jobs it will bring to the area.
XLCC have dismissed objectors' environmental concerns - and their plans won the backing of NAC's planning committee.
Largs community councillor Jamie Black has hailed the decision and believes it will provide a major boost to Largs and surrounding area.
Jamie said: "I am really pleased that this development was recommended by council planners.
"It is a great thing for the local area that it will bring 900 jobs and will be boost to the economy and suppliers.
"I had a feeling of dread that Hunterston might miss out.
"XLCC are going to be a big employer in the area and as far as I am concerned this is very good news.
"I am fed up of everybody objecting to everything in this area."
With North Ayrshire having long been an unemployment blackspot, Mr Black says he believes it will be a big lift to struggling families as it will mean jobs across the spectrum.
He said: "We need jobs as there is so much poverty right now."
And foodbank volunteer and community councillor Wendy Low Thomson pointed out: "The foodbank is going through the roof right now."
However, the move to bring the development to Hunterston has been slammed by Fairlie Community Council.
Chairman Rita Holmes, representing both FCC and their Cumbrae counterparts, addressed the planning committee, outlining their concerns for the area.
Ms Holmes said: "The development will impede and impinge on our residential amenity and the environment by way of visual amenity, discharges to waterway and air from the processes that use hazardous materials and the threat to health from 24/7 noise operations.
"Both Fairlie and Cumbrae will bear the brunt of any of the negative impacts from the facility or the jetty.
"As our comprehensive commissioned noise report indicates, there is the very real potential for us, our families, including babies, to be exposed to intolerable levels of noise and vibration not only from the cable manufacturing facilities utilising huge machinery and hazardous materials processing but from the cable vessels."
She argued that the new cable laying ship hadn't been built yet as concerns were aired at the meeting regarding noise levels.
She continued: "The modern cable vessel that did operate at Hunterston for three weeks or so a few years ago was so above noise limits and injurious to health it was subsequently banned from a large industrial port in Italy which had 40 vessels in it."
Independent councillor Ian Murdoch also raised various concerns regarding the development.
He questioned why there was no detailed noise monitoring scheme report submitted to the planning meeting.
However, it was pointed out that the noise information submitted by the applicants was accepted by NAC's environmental health department.
Alan Mathers, project director for XLCC, argued that the facility would have major environmental benefits and dismissed the noise concerns, saying there was a similar factory in Sweden which was closer to a local village than Fairlie was.
He said: "In 2018 there was an IPCC report which warned we have 12 years to keep global temperatures from rising more then 1.5 degrees, which is recognised by the UK Government, Scottish Government and North Ayrshire Council."
XLCC state that they will have a 'hugely positive impact on the environment; as they provide the infrastructure to move renewable power from the source of generation to supply the demand.
They say this will reduce the carbon footprint substantially both nationally and internationally as we shift the reliance away from fossil fuels.
An XLCC spokesperson said: "Our hybrid cable laying vessel will allow a much cleaner operation than a traditional diesel-powered ship. The vessel will have the capability to be powered by renewable electricity, and when in port, loading cable, on-board batteries will be charged to capacity, reducing the requirement for diesel engines.
"Additionally, using battery power to enter and leave the port will ensure minimal disturbance to marine life and to the local community
"We have provided all the required information to the North Ayrshire Council and their environmental health officer. We intend to comply with all legislation and regulations including those related to noise.
"There will be ongoing noise monitoring and a number readily available to reach a community liaison officer should there be any concerns."
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