Dalgety Bay residents will meet this month to discuss whether to accept the Ministry of Defence’s new offer to clean up radiation pollution on their beach.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown, who has said the plan equates to a £10 million investment, will address the special meeting called by Dalgety Bay Community Council on July 21 when the findings of an in-depth report by the MoD to remove some of the radiation particles but to entomb the rest are presented.
The MoD has also offered to construct a new slipway for the sailing club as well as build a new wall with coastal armour protection.
The MP said: “If the community agrees to go ahead on July 21 I want the work to start immediately after the consultation period is over. The people of Dalgety Bay have been patient and now will welcome the details of their proposals.”
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) executive director Calum MacDonald said the proposals provided a long-term solution to the contamination problems which, if successful, will allow the public to use the entire area again in an unrestricted manner.
“If these works are completed successfully, Sepa considers that this will allow the closure of this long-running issue.”
Following the end of the work, Sepa will adopt a programme of monitoring the area to give the public reassurances.
Fife Council leader David Ross said it had a statutory duty for coastal protection and will continue to play this role with due diligence, which in principle could include taking responsibility for long-term maintenance on coastal protection measures put in place by the MoD.
“Further detailed discussions will now need to take place and the council will work with all interested parties in order to bring this to an acceptable conclusion.”
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse, who will study the report in depth, was initially pleased there finally seemed to be tangible progress.
He said: “While I welcome that the MoD has been discussing the longer term management of this issue with partners such as Fife Council, there is obviously further work to be done to ensure the council is adequately and properly financially supported in the longer term, by the UK Government, in relation to any additional work linked to the radioactivity and the subsequent response at Dalgety Bay that may need to be carried out.”