Build Scotland Construction Directory
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Share this page
Construction News
18/10/2017

Fife Council Secures £3.1m To Restore Blair House Opencast Coal Site

Construction News Image
More than £3 million has been secured to regenerate the former Blair House opencast coal site near Oakley in Fife.

The site had previously been left derelict after the Scottish Coal Company went into liquidation in April 2013.

Following a legal battle in the Court of Session with the Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance PLC, over £3.1m has been recovered which will now allow plans to restore the site to progress.

Cllr Alice McGarry said the result was a "great outcome" for the environment, as well as the residents of Oakley and surrounding areas.

"In the coming months, Fife Council will work with the current site owners, MRL (Mines Restoration Limited), and the local Community Councils, to finalise the restoration plan and remove this unsightly and potentially dangerous site from the countryside," he said.

-- Advertisement --
NorthernAsbestosServicesLtd

Scottish Mines Restoration Trust (SMRT) Chairman, Professor Russel Griggs OBE, said: "This is a very positive development for the future of Blair House and has the potential to have a significant impact on the site and the surrounding community.

"Our objective has always been to deliver a pragmatic approach to restoration. We're looking forward to working with all of the stakeholders involved to help facilitate a sustained programme of activity, which will incorporate significant land and environmental works.

"We are committed to working with Fife Council and the local community councils involved to finalise a restoration plan that makes best use of the available funds to improve the environment for local people."

Cllr Altany Craik added: "I am delighted at this news and look forward to the restoration of the Blair House site beginning as soon as possible. Fife Council's Legal and Planning teams have worked tirelessly over a number of years to secure this victory, which means that all three of Fife's opencast coal sites that were abandoned when the market for coal collapsed now have restoration budgets.

"St Ninians at Kelty has been restored and is in aftercare, the remediation of the Muir Dean site at Crossgates is nearing completion, and now we have much-needed funding to achieve the restoration of Blair House. This legal victory means that there will be no lasting environmental legacy in Fife arising from the coal market crisis of 2013."

(LM/MH)

Latest Construction News

22/11/2024

SP Energy Networks has announced a major investment in Britain's electricity grid, selecting 19 preferred partners to deliver a £5.4bn supply chain programme. This significant initiative aims to meet increasing energy demand and facilitate future growth. The selected companies, many of which are ...
22/11/2024

Edinburgh City Council has launched a 12-week public consultation on a new strategy to revitalise Princes Street and the wider Waverley Valley. The vision aims to create a more vibrant and welcoming city centre, attracting investment, supporting businesses, and enhancing the visitor ...
22/11/2024

Ener-G Services Limited, a leading UK electrical engineering company specialising in renewables, marine, and offshore sectors, has expanded its operations in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. The company has leased Unit 6E at Kingshill Commercial Park, a 2,500 sq ft space, on a 5-year lease. This new ...
22/11/2024

A consortium of leading scientists, industry experts, and academic institutions has joined forces to accelerate Scotland's offshore wind sector. The £2.5 million project, led by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore cluster (FTO), ...
22/11/2024

The Port of Aberdeen and Turner & Townsend were highly commended in the 'Engineering, Construction & Infrastructure Project of the Year' category at the APM Project Management Awards 2024. The award recognises excellence in project management and the positive impact on end-users. The £420 million ...
22/11/2024

South Lanarkshire Council's £10 million fire safety improvement programme has reached a significant milestone, with CCG (Scotland) completing installations in over 1,700 high-rise residences across East Kilbride and Cambuslang. The Glasgow-based construction firm has been working closely with the ...
22/11/2024

SSEN Transmission, a key player in the UK's energy transition, is set to further expand its workforce and move into a new, sustainable office space in Glasgow. The company's commitment to net zero and the increasing demand for green energy workers has led to significant growth, with the number of ...
22/11/2024

Scottish Water is investing in the upgrade of its Loch Eck clean water plant in Dunoon. The project involves replacing outdated dry well pumps with new, more reliable pumps capable of operating in both wet and dry conditions. WGM Engineering, an RSK Group company, has been tasked with carrying out ...
22/11/2024

Scottish Land & Estates has expressed serious concerns over the Scottish Government's Land Reform Bill, particularly the provisions that would allow ministers to force landowners to sell large estates in lots. Sarah-Jane Laing, the organisation's chief executive, stated that while the land-based ...
22/11/2024

Clark Contracts employees have once again shown their commitment to community engagement by volunteering at Silverburn Park in Leven. On Thursday, 21st November, 16 members of the team spent their day planting over 400 trees and carrying out other landscaping tasks. This latest volunteering effort ...
RBT Underfloor LimitedMorris & Spottiswood LtdTHE HOME ARCHITECTGlasgow Architectural SalvageMatheson Damp Services LtdScotdeck LtdSELECTA GLASGOW LIMITEDCommercial Transmissions GroupWestermans International LtdHugh Simpson (Contractors) Ltd
Terms and Conditions
2024/11/23 09:20:05