A leading councillor said Carnoustie residents should welcome the “win-win” eco windfall which he believes will also help jump start the vitality of the town centre.
Depute Angus Provost and town councillor Brian Boyd hopes the installation of electric vehicle charging points at the former Fairway Garage on the High Street will boost the prospect of drivers spending time locally recharging their own batteries while those on their car are being powered back up.
But the installation of the new technology has sparked an intense local debate over the lack of a filling station in Carnoustie – a facility Mr Boyd says is unlikely to ever be a realistic economic prospect for the burgh.
The charging points are being installed at the former town centre garage as part of a charging hub initiative made possible by a £1.8 million grant from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles to Dundee City Council to develop charging infrastructure both in the city and its outlying areas.
Stanley Street car park in Arbroath has already seen plug-in points installed and the appearance of the Carnoustie EV point generated an immediate reaction of polarised opinion.
“I can’t think ‘watt’ the fuss is about – this is a win-win for Carnoustie and it is a windfall for the town,” said Mr Boyd.
“It’s not money that the council has had to spend and as far as I am concerned this is very good news for the town.
“There was a plan to put these down by the railway station but I didn’t think that was the best place for them and managed to push for them to be at the old Fairway garage.
“I see that as another step towards reviving the High Street, and hopefully electric vehicle owners who are looking for a stop to charge their car might come into Carnoustie and spend some time in the town centre.”
He added: “This technology is here, it is the future and that’s a fact of life.
“I have been amazed by the size of the online debate but even the fact that there are differing views is a good thing because it gets people talking about EV technology and environmental or health issues.
“I’d love Carnoustie to have a petrol station, but I think we have to be realistic that is probably never going to happen. Unless a large supermarket comes in and builds one I think it is just not a viable prospect.”