New life could be breathed into Fife’s former Westfield opencast coal mine.
Hundreds of jobs could be in the pipeline after site owners Hargreaves Services (Westfield) Limited submitted a proposal of application notice to Fife Council and embarked on a public consultation exercise.
The masterplan aims to help deliver investment to restore the former opencast and create new employment, business and recreational opportunities.
It includes proposals for recycling, including manufacturing of industrial components and energy recovery, a rail off-loading facility, the formation of employment space, and the creation of a solar park that would see floating and land-based solar equipment installed.
Since acquiring the site in 2012, Hargreaves has been drawing up a masterplan for Westfield which is one of the largest brownfield sites in Europe.
Central to it is the restoration of the whole site, near Cardenden, along with opening it up for public access.
Hargreaves said its expertise as a fully diversified business allows for the potential of a wide range of uses for the site.
Following public events and along with ongoing discussions with Fife Council and consultees, Hargreaves will return with a finalised masterplan ahead of submitting an application for planning permission in principle to Fife Council this summer.
Robert Watson, Hargreaves services development director, said: “Hargreaves has been working hard on a future vision for the former Westfield opencast coal mine, and has been engaging with both the local community and Fife Council regarding this.
“As one of the largest brownfield sites in Europe, we are committed to creating a masterplan that takes full advantage of the site’s potential and creates a lasting legacy for the local community and for Fife.”
“Fife has a long and proud history of industry and enterprise and Hargreaves is determined to attract new jobs and investment to the area,” he continued.
“We will of course restore the landscape, but we also want to ensure that we attract new jobs and strengthen local communities in the area.”
Since the collapse of Scotland’s two main coal companies, Hargreaves has stepped in and made a significant investment and commitment to the restoration of many brownfield sites that were left abandoned, including other opencast sites in Fife.
Many of these former industrial sites are in need of regeneration, having been neglected by previous operators.
News of the proposals has been welcomed by Cowdenbeath MSP Alex Rowley who recently met company representatives to discuss the opencast sites in his constituency.
“I welcome this interest and commitment to developing the Westfield site,” he said.