PLANS to drop restrictions on a controversial biogas plant have been stalled by council chiefs.

Greenhags Energy Company want to use agricultural wastes, such as fruit and vegetables, to help them generate gas at their Newton Mearns base.

The company has appealed to East Renfrewshire Council after being told by the UK Government that their energy must be derived from at least 50 per cent wastes to qualify for funding.

But councillors refused to make a final decision last week, claiming they weren’t given enough information on the wastes.

It means the company now faces an anxious wait until next month’s meeting of the planning applications committee.

Councillor Stewart Miller, leader of East Renfrewshire’s Conservative group, said: “I would wonder if the planning department could arrange a continuation of this and arrange a site visit to a plant that has this digestate and we can see it for ourselves.”

Councillor Angela Convery, of the SNP, added: “I think it’s quite obvious that most of the committee believe that we don’t have enough information. I think a visit to another biogas plant would be beneficial.”

The planning committee gave consent for the facility in 2016 on the basis that only agricultural feedstock, rather than household or commercial waste, could be used to generate gas.

But UK Government rules now state that, in order to gain access to renewable heat incentive (RHI) funding, at least half of all energy must be derived from wastes.

Plans to use wheat straw and cattle slurry were rejected in 2016 as it was feared those could have a detrimental effect on residents.

If approved, the firm want to use fruit and veg which have been deemed unsuitable for sale as part of the gas generation process.

A statement from Alan Couper Consulting, on behalf of Greenhags Energy Company, said: “Under the government’s proposal to revise the RHI regulations following a recent consultation, it will be necessary for the energy produced by the biomethane plant to be derived from at least 50 per cent wastes and/or residues in order to qualify for the full RHI support payments.

“The plans, as it is currently proposed, would not meet these requirements. The plans would need to comply with this aspect of the sustainability criteria in order to qualify for the full RHI support payments and would be unlikely to be viable without the full level of support available.”

Councillors are expected to visit a similar biogas plant before making a decision next month at the earliest.