Defiant campaigners are refusing to give up their fight to stop a controversial waste-to-energy plant in Irvine from opening.

However, the owners of the Oldhall energy recovery facility insist it’s safe and environmentally friendly.

This week, campaign group Irvine Without Incinerators confirmed it was stepping up its protests, with a public meeting planned for early next month in town to discuss concerns.

Group member Arthur West said: “We are campaigning quite strongly. We are trying to get people to write letters to SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) to ask them not to grant the operating licence.

“It appears waste is coming in from other areas to be burned there. We are also putting pressure on Octopus Energy, who are financing the project, and we will protest in Glasgow at Ofgem, the energy regulators, on August 4, as they should be looking into what Octopus Energy are going to be doing.

“They claim to be 100 per cent for renewable energy, yet they are involved in this process. We don’t think it will heat homes.

“We have a public meeting on August 3 in the Volunteer Rooms at 7pm to discuss our concerns. There is a lack of clarity on the project, which can still be cancelled.”

Doveryard Limited developed the project and will manage it too.

The facility is privately owned through funds managed by Octopus Renewables.

A spokesperson for Doveryard Ltd said: “The Oldhall energy recovery facility will process non-hazardous private sector and commercial waste produced by businesses in North Ayrshire and the outlying districts after all recycling has taken place.

“This waste will be collected by Enva, Lowmac and Geminor which are each based locally, with transfer stations to aggregate waste from the vicinity.

“The waste will be supplied as post-recycled fuel to be used in the state-of-the-art energy recovery boiler at Oldhall. This is a safe and environmentally preferable way of dealing with waste which would otherwise go to landfill or be transported abroad.

“The facility will generate 17MW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of over 30,000 homes. This electricity is fed back to the national grid. It is also possible to generate heat that can be used by nearby businesses.”

The spokesperson added: "Landfill results in land contamination issues, as it leaves a legacy of toxic chemicals which are potentially hazardous for decades.

"This facility therefore prevents this from happening and helps the Scottish Government to meet its net zero targets.”

A spokesperson for SEPA said: “We have received an application for a pollution prevention and control (known as PPC) permit from Oldhall Energy Recovery Ltd, which is currently being determined. 

“The operator must demonstrate that all the appropriate preventative measures are taken against pollution.

"Once we have carefully reviewed the application, our draft decision will be published on our consultation hub to allow for a further period of public consultation.”