Ministers took account of the fact that Aucheninnes is an existing landfill facility, with full planning permission which would allow Dumfries and Galloway Council to continue to operate the site if they so wished, and that it is regulated by a detailed waste management licence issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.Ministers also noted that the proposed scheme would improve the site through engineering works to control leachates, and that planning conditions would ensure that the completed site is to be restored to a high standard.