KINCARDINE could be the site of a controversial coal-burning process if an oil baron’s plans get the go-ahead.

Algy Cluff, chairman and chief executive of Cluff Natural Resources (CNR), wants to build the UK’s first underground coal gasification (UCG) plant in the West Fife village.

CNR has licences for eight sites in the UK, with its ‘Kincardine Licence Area’ covering an area of 3687 hectares of the Forth.

This week, the firm said an independent consultant had verified a find of 335million tonnes of coal at the ‘Kincardine Licence Area’, with 43million tonnes suitable for UCG.

A report stated that the coal resource represented 1395 billion cubic feet (BCF) of natural gas – with 1 BCF enough to power 11,000 homes for a year.

Environmentalists have raised fears about the UCG process, which burns coal underground with gas pumped to the surface, and the Green Party called for the plans to be shut down.

But Mr Cluff has insisted it is safe and will benefit the area, including Longannet Power Station and the Grangemouth petrochemical complex.

He said, “The development of UCG at the Kincardine Licence Area would result in the creation of new jobs, help protect existing industry as well as create significant supply chain benefits. The emerging UCG industry has a significant role to play in unlocking the UK’s most abundant indigenous energy resource which, with the imminent closure of the last deep coal mines, is now otherwise effectively beyond reach.

“The deep offshore UCG projects being undertaken by CNR have significant environmental, safety, and when combined with carbon capture and storage, climate change benefits compared with coal mining and coal-fired power generation. We believe that UCG will help provide a cleaner energy, diversity of supply and energy security for the UK.” He assured that they would keep local residents informed of developments, saying, “CNR will work closely with residents, local authorities, regulators and other stakeholders throughout the site selection and planning process to ensure that adequate controls and oversight are in place to give the public confidence in the UCG process.” He added that “all actual gasification of coals will take place hundreds of metres beneath the Firth of Forth itself and therefore not anticipated to materially impact the onshore area”.

However, West Fife Villages councillor Willie Ferguson expressed concerns over the possible environmental impact on Kincardine. He said, “I would want to check on the environmental impact and think this would be a protracted planning application.

“I would be looking for assurances for the environment and the consequences if it goes wrong. How will it affect the underground workings, how would they dispose of the waste, how is it controlled on the surface and how close to the community is it going to be?

“There are so many old mine workings in the area and we’re already seeing increased water levels in Kincardine. If anything disturbed that strata, that would be a concern to us.” Dunfermline MP Thomas Docherty called the find an “interesting development”, adding, “I will look to meet with Cluff over the coming weeks so that I can better understand what they are seeking to achieve.”