Assurances have been given no coal will be excavated from the site of a major Dunfermline housing development.
West area planning committee was considering I&H Brown’s plans for the first phase of its ambitious development of land to the west of Wellwood on the outskirts of the town.
Work has already started on the site, which will create 1,100 homes and a new primary school, following the granting of planning permission in principle for last June.
The approval was subject to a range of conditions which needed the council’s approval.
The first, regarding mineral stabilisation work, was granted the following month.
That has allowed ground stabilisation and grouting work to be carried out to fill in the extensive underground former coal mine workings.
This new consent covers proposals for how the first phase will be developed, the road network and how parcels of land will be used.
It also covers the plan for how construction traffic will access the site, as well as biodiversity, soil and environmental management and its public art strategy.
While welcoming the start of work, local councillor Helen Law voiced concerns over mention of “coal remediation” in the application.
“I know it has been grouted and work has already started and I welcome that but people have to have some confidence now that it is going ahead.
“I wanted to be clear about the remediation.
“Some people are concerned coal is going to be taken out,” she said.
However, Kevin Treadwell, the lead office with major business and customer service, said the remediation was about the mine workings which have been on site, and making sure the ground is stable for building to start.
The current plans drew in six objections, mainly about the impact on road safety of traffic heading into and out of the site.
Councillor Willie Campbell said he was anxious about the impact of traffic on East Baldridge Drive in particular.
However, most could not be addressed as they had been part of the application which has already received permission in principle.
Conditions and terms of the legal agreement addressed a wide ranging list of improvements to junctions and footpaths and cycleways.
