MAJOR HEALTH RISKS

Helen has said, "I am gravely concerned given the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) publication of a major study into the possible health risks for populations living near landfill sites in August 2001, which had been commissioned in response to public concerns. This study, which covered 9,565 landfill sites in Great Britain, found that the rate of congenital anomalies increased by 1% in populations living within 2km of all landfills and by 7% in people residing within 2km of landfills containing hazardous waste. Rates of low birth weight babies were around 5% higher near landfill sites

SEPA CONSULTATION - HELEN CONTACTS ROSS FINNIE

Helen Eadie, MSP Dunfermline East has to-day written to Ross Finnie, Minister for the Environment concerning the role that SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) plays in the Planning process and the fact that they do not have any locus on consideration of the Health Impact Assessments prepared by Developers until after the Planning Committees have approved planning applications.

Helen continued, "I believe that it is time that SEPA and other appropriate agencies are involved in the detailed work prior to planning applications being approved in this and other similar developments that pose any risk to local communities and that their reports are clearly structured prior to planning permissions being given”

HELEN’S LETTER

Recently I have been heavily involved in supporting the people in my constituency in their efforts to encourage Fife Council to reject the planning application by Alba for a Landfill and recycling development at Westfield in the northernmost part of Dunfermline East Constituency.

I was very happy for my constituents when they were rewarded in their efforts by the Council’s rejection of that proposal. The development was turned down the West Fife Area Development Committee, the Central Fife Development Committee and the Fife Council Strategic Development Committee. I have supported the 2000 plus objectors all the way.

This particular Planning Application raised issues concerning health and landfill sites and the proximity of schools and homes in one of Scotland’s poorest areas. I note from reading the agenda and reports that will come before the Public Petitions Committee on Tuesday 24th September that other areas in Lothian and Greengairs will confront similar issues and the background report speaks of the health concerns that have been flagged up by the Scottish Statistical Unit.

In the course of that work I learned what I thought was a very significant policy issue and that is that the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has no

rights to see “ Health Impact Assessments” until such times as the Planning Committee of the Council has approved the Planning Application. SEPA thereafter has responsibility for measuring the air and water quality but has no say whatsoever in the “Health Impact Assessment”. I find this gravely disturbing and I shall be grateful if you will comment on this since it is clearly a policy that affects every planning application of this kind across Scotland. In effect this means that SEPA has responsibility for monitoring events that can effect our health and well-being but no input into the planning process at the developmental stage.

I am also extremely concerned that when either an Environmental Impact Assessment or a Health Impact Assessment is made that the intended developers select and pay for the study and subsequent report. My very serious concern is of the “independence” of such key pieces of work.

My view is that there should be an independent agency established across Scotland that should have the remit of producing such vitally important reports and that the developers who already pay for this work should instead pay the government to a fund that would enable

the independent agency to be established.

The task of this agency would be to carry out the studies that are required and to provide detailed reports enabling all of the relevant stakeholders to freely access that information prior to planning permissions being granted.

There are too many communities across Scotland that face challenges by this sort of issue. I am aware that local community councils and others have no “Third Party Rights of Appeal” except to the Sheriff Courts. We all know that such a course of action is not within the realms of affordability for them and therefore is an unrealistic option for them.

By contrast a developer has been able to overturn the democratically accountable views of the Community Council, the Local Planning Committee, the Member of the Scottish Parliament and appeal to the Reporter who has over-ruled all of these democratically accountable bodies. One individual at the level of the Scottish Executive can and has overturned such democratic accountability and this cannot, in my opinion, be deemed acceptable.

I shall be grateful for your views on the matters that I have raised.