Plans for a major windfarm in central Fife have been broadly welcomed by Levenmouth councillors.
Local members said the project at Earlseat would show Fife Council’s green credentials, help rejuvenate Methil docks and create jobs.
However, some concerns were raised that the landscape may not be able to cope with such a large development.
Fears were also expressed for local wildlife, including pine martens which are said to live on Wemyss Estate and peregrine falcons.
Developer Carbon Free Earlseat has applied to put nine 120m turbines on the site of a former opencast colliery just off the A915 Standing Stane Road.
The proposal, which has been described as major by planners, would cost £25.3m and would provide enough electricity to serve 7.5% of Fife households.
It would create around 30 short-term construction jobs and the developer has pledged to establish a community fund which would contribute £2.1m during the development’s lifetime.
It is intended that Adam Smith College would use the fund to provide 150 renewable apprenticeship places.’Moving it westward’The parts for the turbines would be taken to the site via Methil Docks and along the Standing Stane Road, with 81 abnormal loads expected during the construction period.
The windfarm, which would be visible from towns and villages across central and east Fife, would straddle the jurisdiction of three area committees meaning the final decision on planning permission will be taken by the region’s strategic planning committee.
Local councillors have been given a chance to air their views however, and Levenmouth members raised no formal objection yesterday.
Councillors in Kirkcaldy gave it a mixed reception last week, and those in Glenrothes will be given the details when they meet.
Planning officer Elspeth Cooke said the application site was predominantly woodland and some nearby fields at Earlseat Farm.
“It includes some open-cast workings which are nearing completion,” she said.
“This is a development which is supportable in principle as it meets all the technical criteria but we are recommending that one turbine be dropped and the grouping made tighter, moving it westward.”‘Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’Leven councillor Ally Hunter welcomed the proposals, stating: “I think this development exerts our green credentials.
“If we’re serious about embracing the next power generation through Methil docks, this development sends out a very strong message that Levenmouth is the place to do green energy business.”
He added: “Levenmouth has a history of dealing with large scale engineering works.
“Now we are standing on the edge of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do that again.”
However, Councillor Marilyn Whitehead expressed serious concern that no account had been taken of the conclusion of a 2006 study which said that large areas of Fife’s landscape were not capable of taking wind turbines.
She said: “To welcome it wholeheartedly and say it demonstrates our backing for Methil is very nice and very emotive, but it’s rubbish.”
Although a habitats assessment said the development would not impact on local badgers and red squirrels, Mrs Whitehead asked planners to look into the likely effect on pine martens.
Planning officials were also asked to investigate the possibility of using Kirkcaldy’s docks instead of Methil before bringing their final report to the planning committee in due course.