February 13 2013

Plans to drain a Fife loch in order to accommodate an expansion of an existing open cast coal mine have been approved by the Scottish Environmental protection Agency.

The decision  clears the way for Scottish Coal to drain Loch Fitty in order to expand the existing St Ninians open cast mine, site of the Scottish World Project, to open up new seams to the south.

Conditions of the consent stipulate that the mine owner restore the site to a ‘higher standard’ than exists currently when operations cease around 2021.

Colin Anderson, Sepa's area manager, said: "… we have a responsibility under the Water Framework Directive to ensure that where lochs are in poor condition, like Loch Fitty, they are improved as soon as possible.

"When all the positive and negative aspects of the proposal are taken into account, Sepa is of the opinion that, on balance, this proposal will result in a better water environment longer term and that the proposal is therefore consentable.”

Work to landscape disused mine workings on the site are already underway to designs by Charles Jencks, with the intention of transforming the area into a tourist destination.

The plans call for the creation of a sculpted landscape park representing the continents of the world with a loch shaped to echo the geographic outline of Scotland sitting at their centre in celebration of the Scottish diaspora.

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