Scottish coal has been given permission to extract a further 70,000 tonnes of coal from a Kelty opencast mine.
Fife councillors unanimously backed the company’s proposal to extend St Ninian’s surface mine. It will safeguard around 28 jobs at the site.
A special meeting of Cowdenbeath area committee was arranged to allow Scottish Coal’s application to be considered as a matter of urgency.
Area committee chairman Willie Clark said: “We feel this is an important development and we had the special meeting because of the timescales the applicant is operating with.
“The councillors were unanimous, so there was cross-party support for the development. In the long-term, this is going to be beneficial for the area.”
Scottish Coal has hit the headlines for its proposal to drain Loch Fitty, a move given the go-ahead by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The company wants to exploit the high-quality coal reserves under the loch.
The planning application considered by Cowdenbeath councillors on Friday related to an area used for temporary huts and a car park, which was not previously earmarked for extraction.
The area is at the north of the site, near Thornton Woods. According to the planner’s report to the committee, it is “hidden from almost all public vistas”.
The Fife Council planning report stated: “Working this last phase will allow for some continuity of work on the site, allowing for the retention of approximately 28 jobs on site.
“The proposal will also ensure the coal resource is removed before it is sterilised as part of land art.
“It is considered that these proposals, which will not result in any additional adverse impact on neighbouring communities, comply with the relevant development plan policies and national planning policies.
“In the circumstances, it is not considered that the principle of extracting an additional 70,000 tonnes of coal from the site using the methods already approved would be considered to be unacceptable and would warrant refusal of the application.”
It had previously been agreed the site should be restored by the end of last year.
However, Scottish Coal submitted the application to extract the final 70,000 tonnes of coal on December 21. Planning approval was subject to conditions.
Before the excavation can commence, Scottish Coal must draw up a revised plan for restoring the site. This work is now to be completed by June 30 next year.
Scottish Coal is also required to provide aftercare for a period of five years to ensure the visual amenity of the area is protected through landscaping and planting.