Shock at ‘rocketlauncher’ boiler

council works cabin suddenly turned up beside his home.

But concern turned to alarm when it became obvious the structure, outside Lenzie Academy, was set to be permanent – and he and neighbours were horrified to see a giant flue being erected.

Mr Malloch said: “It looks like a rocket launcher. It’s part of a biomass boiler for the school.

“There’s no reason why it has to be where they’ve put it – and apparently there’s nothing we can do about it.”

He says he was treated “brusquely” by council staff when he tried to complain, and ask why local people had not been informed (as he sees it) and says the planning process has let local people down badly.

The ‘montrosity’, as Mr Malloch described it, was advertised in a statutory notice in the Kirkintilloch Herald, but he didn’t see the advert and only found out about the boiler scheme when work actually started. He argues that if there had been some prior discussion with residents it could “easily” have been put in a less obtrusive position.

He added: “What has annoyed me most is the attitude of the council in this,” he said – really giving me the impression they can do what they like.

“The aluminium flues seem to me much taller than the advertised height, but it seems they aren’t prepared to listen to local residents’ concerns.”

Meanwhile, the council has made it plain it has no intention of altering its plans.

Grant Mackintosh, housing manager, said: “The council fully complied with the process of applying for planning permission. As the development falls within Schedule 3 of the regulations, a notice was placed in the Kirkintilloch Herald and accordingly our statutory duty in terms of notification was fulfilled.”

He added: “There are no plans to resite the boiler or flues.”