Request 101004049924

Regarding Craigellachie CHP Biomass Plant:

1. a) Operating noise conditions which would include noise levels, during daytime working e.g. 8am to 5pm,

b) Evening and night time permitted working levels.

c) Confirmation where there are weekend working noise levels.

2. Have there been any amendments to operational noise limits since the first date of operation? Circa 2014

3. Please confirm whether there are limits on electrical power generation and heat. I understand that the generation of electricity is 15 megawatts, but are there restrictions that also include limits on the generation of heat?

4. Please provide paper copy of the original development consent order by post.

Response 17-09-2026

1. Conditions 14 to 18 on planning application 12/01490/APP control noise emissions from the site and are copied below and provide the answers to the questions above.   

    

   14. Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Council as planning authority in consultation with the Environmental Health Manager, external operations or vehicle movements relating to the operation of the plant shall only take place between 07.00 and 19.00 hours, Monday        to Friday and 8am and 1pm, on Saturdays, and no external operations or vehicle movements shall take place on bank/public holidays.

    

   15. Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Council as planning authority, vehicles manoeuvring within the site, for example within the log storage area shall be fitted with and only use white noise (broadband) based reversing warning systems.

    

   16. The rating level of noise emitted from the proposed development between 0700 - 1900 hours shall not exceed 35dB as determined by a reference time interval of 1 hour.  The noise levels shall be determined at the nearest noise sensitive premises.  Measurements and assessments shall be made according to BS 4142:1997 method of rating industrial noise affecting mixed residential and industrial areas.

    

   17. Noise emissions from Biomass CHP Facility Speyside shall not exceed Noise Rating Curve 20 as measured inside the nearest noise sensitive dwelling between the hours 19.00 - 07.00 hrs.

    

   18. The chipping machine and the log conveyor shall not operate outwith the hours 07.00 - 19.00 hrs.

2.    There has been no permeant variations to noise limits since this consent was granted permission, however, the conditions include the caveat "Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Council as planning authority" this allows the council to grant reasonable, temporary variations to these conditions in exceptional circumstances.   This process has been followed approximately 10 times since the first operation of the plant. Examples of temporary variations include where internal feed cranes have failed and the plant has been fed externally by a loader until the crane is fixed or where the turbine has required replacement and the system needs to be cleaned, sealed and purged over a set time period where constant operation is required.  

    

   In all of these cases the details of the exceptional circumstances has been taken into account and balanced against the potential impact on neighbouring noise sensitive properties and this has been assessed by the planning authority in consultation with Environmental Health. 

3. The output of the plant is not directly controlled via condition either in terms of electricity or heat, however, condition 1 (d) limits the amount of wood the plant can burn to 150000 tonnes per annum. 

    

4. See attached here.