The last remnants of a mining eyesore that has blotted the Fife landscape for generations is to be removed.
Mining waste that makes up Comrie Bing is to be used to cap the ash lagoons at Valleyfield in west Fife following a deal struck by Fife Council.
Comrie Development Company and Scottish Power have agreed to remove the bing, which has been an eyesore for residents of Torryburn and Valleyfield for decades.
It had been feared the waste would remain after the former owners of the Comire site went into liquidation in 2020.
Eyesore to be removed
Villagers have long complained about the effects of ash emanating from the bing during prolonged dry spells.
Now the last of the materials will be removed to fill the lagoons.
The Valleyfield ash lagoons were formed in the 1970s to take the residue from burning coal at Longannet Power Station.
With the closure of the power station earlier than envisaged in 2016, it left a shortage of material to complete the infilling.
However, following a site search for suitable material, Comrie Bing was tested and found to be the ideal material for use in capping the Valleyfield site.
In doing so it will create new redevelopment opportunities for the former Comrie colliery.
The site, which opened in 1939, was abandoned by the coal board when it closed in 1986.
Councillor Altany Craik, convener of Fife Council’s economy, tourism, strategic planning and transport committee, says the move is a “win-win for west Fife”.
Timescale for bing clearance work
He said: “Two sites with a legacy of the coal and power industries in Fife are helping each other to tackle environmental issues and improve the environment for local communities.
“This is an excellent example of Fife Council aligning its different teams to improve our environment, tackle issues from our industrial past, attract new investment and provide positive results for our communities.
The project will take a maximum 60 weeks and will be carried out by I&H Brown.
Lorries will use the Clackmannanshire and Kincardine bridges in an attempt to minimise disruption for locals.
The council also says discussions are at an “early stage” about the future use of the colliery site, but it may become a wildlife site.
