Fife is celebrating a jobs boost with the news that work at St Ninians opencast mine is due to restart.
As well as creating 25 jobs over the next year, the agreement between operators Hargreaves Services PLC, Fife Council and regulatory bodies has also ensured the area, lying in a prominent position next to the M90, will be restored.
The ambitious and much lauded land art restoration project, featuring a landscaped park representing the continents of the world, will be completed by next autumn.
The mine, on the outskirts of Kelty, fell victim to the collapse of Scottish Coal this year.
However, it was one of five opencast sites Hargreaves opted to restart.
The news was welcomed by Fife Council leader Alex Rowley who said it was heartening to hear that operations would resume at St Ninians after a period of uncertainty in the coal industry.
Peter Gillatt, the managing director of Hargreaves Production, said the company was happy to reach an agreement with the local authority over St Ninians to recommence coal recovery, generating employment for around 25 skilled workers and enabling Hargreaves to ensure the completion of the land art restoration project.
“As a responsible developer, Hargreaves will continue to work very closely with the council, the local community and other stakeholders to deliver this important project,” he said.
It is believed there is still 65,000 tons of coal on the St Ninians site ready to be mined.
The coal extraction is covered by existing planning consent. However, it does not involve applications submitted previously for reserves at Loch Fitty.
It is anticipated that extraction work will continue until spring and that the site will be fully restored by autumn 2014.
Conceived by Charles Jencks, the land art project uses the overburden from the coaling operations to create the sculpted park representing four corners of the world and the Scots who have influenced history.