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We have known about the existence of the EnviroCentre report for quite some time, but little was known about the origins of this report. The EnviroCentre is an environmental consultancy, which was commissioned to review the development strategy for Royal Ordnance Bishopton. This development strategy had been produced by Cass Associates on behalf of the site owners BAE Systems. The EnviroCentre review was highly critical of the Cass Associates' development strategy.
Freedom of Information results
Through the Freedom of Information Act we have obtained the following interesting new information:-
- We have discovered that Renfrewshire Council jointly commissioned the EnviroCentre report with the Joint Stewards Committee at ROF and that Renfrewshire Council funded this report.
- Renfrewshire Council did not send SEPA a copy of this report.
- Renfrewshire Council also commissioned the EnviroCentre to review the remediation costs outlined in the CASS Associates report. These costs had been provided by BAE Systems. This review was never completed. Renfrewshire Council did not ensure that this important review was carried out.
- Renfrewshire Council officials have never reported the EnviroCentre report or its findings to the Planning Board.
- Renfrewshire Council did not undertake an independent review of any of the subsequent CASS reports despite the criticism of CASS's initial report.
Questions Raised
This new information leads to further questions:-
- Why have Renfrewshire Council officials never reported the findings of the EnviroCentre report to the Planning Board? It seems very odd given that Renfrewshire Council funded it.
- Why did Renfrewshire Council officials not send a copy of this report to SEPA as recommended in report?
- Given that the remediation costs in the Cass report on development strategy had been called into question, why did Renfrewshire Council not ensure that a review of these costings was carried out?
- Why did it take a request under Freedom of Information Act for Renfrewshire Council to reveal that they had funded the EnviroCentre report? The Planning officials were aware that Bishopton Action Group had circulated this report to the Planning board and Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Committee members. Why did they not inform the Councillors on these committees that Renfrewshire Council had funded the EnviroCentre report?
Bishopton Action Group believe that withholding the findings of EnviroCentre report from the Planning Board and Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Committee prevented the councillors from having a balanced view about the proposed development at Bishopton ROF.
Below you will find links to the EnviroCentre report and the letter from Renfrewshire Council commissioning the EnviroCentre report. These documents are pdf files. You will require Adobe Reader to view these files.
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