Ayrshire jobs: DSM Dalry plans approved for new facility which would create 30 jobs

It is also suggested that a peak of 350 workers could be required during the construction process.

The company are set to create a new chemical production and distribution facility which would be used for the manufacture of an animal feed additive.

The building would be situated in the same area as the company's existing plant on Drakemyre complex in Dalry.

The building would comprise several different component structures, of which the maximum height reached is 31.7m.

How the new look Drakemyre complex would look from a distance with the new facility completed (Image: North Ayrshire Council planning)

The site for this latest facility will make use of a currently disused compound/training area and field and would span across 2.8 hectares of land.

The development will manufacture a product known as Bovaer, which is already manufactured in Germany.

The application describes Bovaer as: "A feed additive for cows (and other ruminants, such as sheep, goats and deer) researched and developed over 10 years by DSM.

"Experience in more than 50 feeding studies globally showed that just a quarter teaspoon of Bovaer per cow per day consistently reduces enteric methane emission by approximately 30 per cent for dairy cows and even higher percentages (up to 90 per cent) for beef cows.

"The feed additive Bovaer therefore contributes to a significant and immediate reduction of the environmental footprint of meat, milk and dairy products.

"Bovaer is the most extensively studied and scientifically proven solution to the challenge of burped methane to date. Upon feeding, it takes effect immediately.

"After suppressing methane production in the stomach, it is broken down into compounds already naturally present in the cow's stomach."

The firm says the decision to develop Bovaer production was sparked by the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021.

The new facility would be barely visible from the nearby Dalry Park/war memorial. (Image: North Ayrshire Council planning)

At the event, the United States and EU signed up to a pledge to curb worldwide methane emissions in an attempt to meet the Paris Climate Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature rises to no more than 1.5 degrees centigrade. 

The pledge aims to reduce methane emissions globally by 30 per cent by 2030. 

Methane is a powerful climate pollutant that accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the net rise in the global average temperature since the pre-industrial era and for 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, principally from the energy, agriculture, and waste sectors.

In planning documents, DSM state the construction and commissioning of the development of the facility is expected to take around three years.

Once the new area of the site becomes operational, they say the plant would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and would result in the creation of 30 new full time equivalent jobs.

The full application includes 119 different supporting documents, and can be viewied in full on North Ayrshire Council's online planning portal, using reference 22/00595/PPM.

The plans have were approved on Wednesday, October 26, following their submission in August, as reported by the Herald.

The application has been "approved subject to conditions" which have been detailed on the council's online planning portal.

There are nine separate conditions, including; ensuring work takes place in accordance with EIA recommendations; agree remediation methods with the council; that waste water arising from the development is managed using a SuDS system; that any unsuspected contamination is reported to NAC; a detailed schedule of the proposed external finishes to be used, landscaping and woodplanting shall be submitted to the planning authority before work commences; and the rated noise level from the operation of the facility must not exceed the background noise level by 5dB or more.