North Ayrshire and Arran MP Katy Clark is supporting the decision by campaigners to take legal action over the lack of consultation against Ayrshire Power's proposed Coal Plant.
Campaigners last week announced that they are set to launch a legal action on the lack of consultation after its late addition to the National Planning Framework first published in February 2008. The Coal Plant didn’t appear in the National Planning Framework until September last year, four months after the initial consultation process closed.
Katy said "The fact that local people have got together and are taking this action shows the strength of public anger at the lack of consultation over the inclusion of a coal power station in the Framework. It is clear to me that the inclusion of a coal plant came about as a result of extensive business lobbying of the SNP Holyrood administration. Clearly the local community didn't get the same access to decision makers. I also understand that Peel/Clydeport had extensive contact with the planners and have written to Alex Salmond asking for the release of all paperwork connected with how this Plant came to be included."
" Recently Ayrshire Power have met with the various community councils and local elected representatives - including myself - to discuss the plans and are due to hold a number of public exhibitions in October. However this cannot make up for the lack of consultation by the Scottish Government. The fact that a plant is in the Framework documents is clearly going to make it far more difficult for the local community to stop the plant if they do not wish it which is why it was so important that everyone should have had the opportunity to have their say and put their points at the appropriate time."