Patience urged ahead of biomass community meeting

A Glenrothes community leader has called on residents to show patience in their fight against a proposed biomass plant.

Peter Scobie, chairman of Pitteuchar, Stenton and Finglassie Community Council, said householders in the south of the town could not expect immediate developments as they continue their campaign against the planned structure

He was speaking ahead of a public meeting scheduled to take place tomorrow evening, with more than 100 people expected to vent their anger at the proposals.

Having been approached by several members of the community in recent weeks, Mr Scobie said: “There are people in the community saying that it is going to affect the price of their house, while I’ve heard another saying it could close a business down.

“But there is also quite a bit of false information going about.

“We have to make sure that the information that we are giving people is 100% correct.

“People criticise Fife Council but they don’t know that the local authority has to follow a schedule.

“There needs to be a bit of patience.”

More than 250 objections have been lodged against plans by Glenrothes Biomass Energy to construct a 19.8 MW biomass plant at Southfield Industrial Estate.

Local company Flexcon has warned that construction of the plant would force it to close, with the loss of 77 jobs.

Developers, however, claim the plant would create 15 permanent jobs.

The meeting will take place tomorrow at the Exit Community Centre, Glamis Centre, Glenrothes, at 7.30pm.