PLANS to progress a project which could see a historic lighthouse re-located to land near the Forth Road Bridge have been delayed.

The Beamer Rock lighthouse stood in the Forth for 185 years before being removed in 2011 to make way for the new Queensferry Crossing.

If given the go-ahead, the proposals would see the beacon placed on an elevated position at Ferryhills as a joint partnership project between the North Queensferry Heritage Trust and Fife Council. 

It’s then hoped it would become a commemorative First World War centenary monument ready for a civic unveiling in November next year.

However, at a meeting of the South West Fife area committee earlier this month, councillors learned that North Queensferry Community Council were not in favour of the decision so agreed to delay their decision for four weeks for further consultation.

Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor Dave Dempsey said they hoped to hold a public meeting within the next four weeks.

“It is really to gauge opinion,” he explained. “The feeling at the meeting was it would be a shame if this were lost. However, a community council exists to express village opinion so we are going to revisit it.”

Cllr Alice McGarry, of the same ward, said it was vital to have community backing in order to get funding for the project.

“From what I could understand, the objection was to construction traffic going up Brock Street and some people wanted it in different places,” she said.

“Our view was to have an information day where local people can see what is is all about and what the impact will be.”

Now in storage in Rosyth, the Stevenston-built beacon was first erected on Beamer Rock in 1846 at the request of Inverkeithing Town Council.

Although not listed, it is considered to be a nationally important historic structure.

It was dismantled and removed by Transport Scotland for the building of the Queensferry Crossing. The new bridge’s middle tower now sits on top of the rock.

In the report discussed by councillors, Fife Council archaeologist Douglas Speirs said a number of possible locations were examined before the preferred re-erection site on the Ferryhills Forth Road Bridge cutting was agreed.

“The preferred site was chosen on the basis that the elevated site was highly visible to users of both the existing Forth Road Bridge and the new Queensferry Crossing thus enabling what is a relatively small structure to appear as a prominent beacon in the landscape,” he explained.

“The site overlooks the Forth, the three bridges and Rosyth naval base, thus providing visual connections with the local historic landscape.”

North Queensferry Community Council chairman Iain Mitchell said they originally decided against backing the plans after a consultation exercise with locals failed to show support for them.

“Our function in this matter was to report as to what our questionnaire had revealed as being the attitude of people in the village,” he explained.

“We were unclear and the general public was unclear as to some of the details of the council’s proposals such as the build time and the amount of work carried out. If the council feel enough has changed and want to carry out further consultation, then it will have to be seen to be deep and thorough consultation.”