A BIOMASS plant that promised to create hundreds of jobs in Rosyth could still happen. 

The £325 million project was approved by the Scottish Government in 2014, just two months before the applicants pulled out. 

Forth Energy Ltd, a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Forth Ports, wanted to build a combined heat and power biomass plant that would create 570 jobs at the Port of Rosyth. 

After they withdrew the scheme was dead in the water but an application to renew the consent could see it being revived by another operator. 

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Consent to construct and operate the Port of Rosyth Biomass Electricity Generating Station was issued to Forth Energy Ltd on January 24, 2014 subject to certain conditions, one of which being that it should be implemented within five years from the date of the decision.

“At this time, the consent has still to be implemented.

“Forth Energy Ltd has requested a further extension of the timescale for implementation of this consent, which is under consideration.”

The plans for a wood-burning biomass plant in Rosyth were first announced in 2009. 

Forth Energy said the £325m investment would provide low carbon energy to the local area, more than 40 per cent of Fife Council’s electricity needs and an economic boost in West Fife of £26m a year.

The plant would provide 500 jobs during construction and 70 operational jobs at the port. 

Forth Energy also had plans for similar biomass plants at Grangemouth and Dundee. 

The proposals were met with opposition from local communities but were approved by the then energy minister, Fergus Ewing. 

He had said: “The combined heat and power plant at the Port of Rosyth will create hundreds of jobs during its construction and while in operation will continue to support local employment while generating renewable power for local business and industry.

“In consenting this application I have put in place a series of conditions to protect local residents from inconvenience, and protect the environment and air quality.

“The conditions to the consent also ensure that the fuel used in the biomass is from sustainable and responsible sources.”

It was approved in January 2014 but just two months later, in March of that year, Forth Energy said they were not continuing with the renewable energy projects in Grangemouth and Rosyth and would seek new backers. 

They said they were “investigating options to attract other developers to take the projects forward” but it appeared none could be found.

This week, Forth Ports said there were no immediate plans for the Rosyth facility and the current consent is valid until January 2019.