Chamber
Plenary, 18 May 2005
18 May 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Planning Process (M74)
We have heard what Rosie Kane had to say. She had a perfect opportunity to express her point of view. It is my turn now.
The benefits of the M74 northern extension will be far-reaching and include those of encouraging regeneration, providing employment, capping contaminated land and improving road safety. Those benefits are especially important to me this week, in light of Hoover's bitterly disappointing announcement that it will enter into consultation on the future of the 88 remaining manufacturing workers in Cambuslang. If those jobs are not retained in Cambuslang, it is vital that we do everything that we can to encourage regeneration and bring jobs to the area.
That point is reinforced by the long list of organisations that support the M74, which include the four largest political parties in the Parliament, the councils of South Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Renfrewshire, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scottish Airports Ltd. In my opinion, the Executive was completely correct in its judgment that the reporter did not give enough weight to the many positive aspects of the M74 extension.
Much has been made of the number of objections to the scheme that were raised during the public local inquiry, but it is perhaps the case that such inquiries tend to draw objectors to a proposal to a greater extent than they draw supporters. The Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland states:
"it is doubtful if the promoters of the scheme made use of the strategic planning witnesses who might have been called had the principle of the scheme not been taken for granted somewhat".
Opponents of the M74 would do well not to overemphasise the scale of opposition to the road, especially when it has such widespread support and will bring major benefits to the whole of Scotland. Although those benefits will be felt particularly in west central Scotland, they will not be confined to the Glasgow area, which most of tonight's speakers have mentioned. I have highlighted many of those benefits on previous occasions in the Parliament but, unlike the SSP, I do not intend to go over old ground.
Nevertheless, it is clear that the construction of the road will provide significant economic benefits. As Scotland's economy grows, extra demand will inevitably be placed on our roads. The west of Scotland is responsible for more than half of Scotland's gross output, so we must act to improve our transport links if we are to remain competitive and drive forward our economy.
The scheme will bring huge environmental benefits for my constituents and those of many other members, as Frank McAveety pointed out. The sheer volume of traffic on Rutherglen Main Street, which, along with streets in residential areas, heavy goods vehicles use to make their way to the south side of Glasgow and the city centre once they have exited the M74, is causing significant environmental problems locally. The construction of the extension to the M74 will result in the capping of many toxic waste sites throughout the area, which is also good news.
I firmly believe that a review of Scotland's planning laws is long overdue, but so is the completion of the M74. The sooner we build the M74 northern extension, the better. I wish the SSP would wake up and realise that.
The benefits of the M74 northern extension will be far-reaching and include those of encouraging regeneration, providing employment, capping contaminated land and improving road safety. Those benefits are especially important to me this week, in light of Hoover's bitterly disappointing announcement that it will enter into consultation on the future of the 88 remaining manufacturing workers in Cambuslang. If those jobs are not retained in Cambuslang, it is vital that we do everything that we can to encourage regeneration and bring jobs to the area.
That point is reinforced by the long list of organisations that support the M74, which include the four largest political parties in the Parliament, the councils of South Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Renfrewshire, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scottish Airports Ltd. In my opinion, the Executive was completely correct in its judgment that the reporter did not give enough weight to the many positive aspects of the M74 extension.
Much has been made of the number of objections to the scheme that were raised during the public local inquiry, but it is perhaps the case that such inquiries tend to draw objectors to a proposal to a greater extent than they draw supporters. The Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland states:
"it is doubtful if the promoters of the scheme made use of the strategic planning witnesses who might have been called had the principle of the scheme not been taken for granted somewhat".
Opponents of the M74 would do well not to overemphasise the scale of opposition to the road, especially when it has such widespread support and will bring major benefits to the whole of Scotland. Although those benefits will be felt particularly in west central Scotland, they will not be confined to the Glasgow area, which most of tonight's speakers have mentioned. I have highlighted many of those benefits on previous occasions in the Parliament but, unlike the SSP, I do not intend to go over old ground.
Nevertheless, it is clear that the construction of the road will provide significant economic benefits. As Scotland's economy grows, extra demand will inevitably be placed on our roads. The west of Scotland is responsible for more than half of Scotland's gross output, so we must act to improve our transport links if we are to remain competitive and drive forward our economy.
The scheme will bring huge environmental benefits for my constituents and those of many other members, as Frank McAveety pointed out. The sheer volume of traffic on Rutherglen Main Street, which, along with streets in residential areas, heavy goods vehicles use to make their way to the south side of Glasgow and the city centre once they have exited the M74, is causing significant environmental problems locally. The construction of the extension to the M74 will result in the capping of many toxic waste sites throughout the area, which is also good news.
I firmly believe that a review of Scotland's planning laws is long overdue, but so is the completion of the M74. The sooner we build the M74 northern extension, the better. I wish the SSP would wake up and realise that.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-2788, in the name of Rosie Kane, on the planning process and the M74 northern extensio...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament considers that any proposal by the Scottish Executive to restrict public input into the planning process should be rejected; recognises t...
Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I know that this type of debate is normally consensual and that we normally thank one another for bringing the debate to the Parliament. I hope that even mem...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I remind the member that much the same arguments were used about linking the M8 and the M77. Does she not agree that the M77 is an absolutely magnificent rou...
Rosie Kane:
SSP
I do not agree. With the M77, we were promised a better economy for the people along the route and less pollution. None of that has come to fruition, so I do...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
You have one minute.
Rosie Kane:
SSP
I will not even need that.Will communities and individuals have the right to challenge all developments now and in the future? Will they have the right to th...
Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab):
Lab
I hope that we can achieve consensus on the issue, but I suggest that that is unlikely, given Rosie Kane's speech this evening.Rosie Kane starts from two fal...
Rosie Kane:
SSP
Will the member give way?
Mr McAveety:
Lab
If I may make this point first, I will then concede and sit down to listen to Rosie Kane's contribution.Essentially, the issue is about how we make cities co...
Rosie Kane:
SSP
I asked the member to give way for a couple of reasons. First, he was elected to Glasgow City Council on a manifesto that opposed the construction of the M74...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
If members pop along to junction 10 on the M8, they will see that Easterhouse now has a good health centre, a major new further education college facility an...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I am grateful to Rosie Kane for allowing Parliament to debate this matter. It is a shame that the debate is not many times longer, because that would allow t...
Phil Gallie:
Con
Does Fergus Ewing agree that the M74 extension would lead to a massive environmental improvement, by reducing the noxious gases that are emitted by slow-movi...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
It falls to Phil Gallie and me to put the environmental case. It is also rarely mentioned that the cost of rectifying the polluted land that is part of the p...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) rose—
Green
Rosie Kane:
SSP
Will the member give way?
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
No.The SNP wants to turn its fire on the Scottish Executive, which promised that the project would begin long ago. In October 2001, it issued a press release...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Mr Ewing, Mr Harvie has a point of order.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
I hope that I will get extra time.
Patrick Harvie:
Green
I merely want it noted for the record that legal action is not being threatened and will not be pursued by the Scottish Socialist Party or the Scottish Green...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
That sounded like an intervention; it was certainly not a point of order.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
The legal action that is threatened might prevent the M74 project from going ahead in accordance with the timetable. There is no plan B; if the project does ...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
I have no difficulty in agreeing with Rosie Kane that we should be grateful to the people who participated in the inquiry. I am sorry that people are disappo...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
The member mentioned the job losses that would undoubtedly flow from the cancellation of the project. Of the various figures for the number of jobs that depe...
Bill Aitken:
Con
It is obvious that there are dramatic disparities in the figures that have been quoted and Patrick Harvie is perfectly correct to point that out. I will not ...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
I certainly congratulate Rosie Kane on securing the debate, but I am a little disappointed by the way in which it has gone so far. I wanted to talk about the...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Will the member give way?