A CONTRACT for restoration work at the Blair House opencast mine near Oakley has been put out to tender by Mines Restoration Limited (MRL).

Mining companies are being invited to tender for the project, which will involve taking on the restoration of Blair House and sale of coal from the site.

It is estimated there are 225,000 tonnes of good-quality coal to be mined on the site, with permission already in place.

In August, the Press told you about MRL acquiring Blair House, formerly mined by Scottish Coal until the firm ran into financial problems.

MRL chairman, Professor Russel Griggs OBE, said, “Our objective is to deliver a pragmatic approach to restoration of the site which will bring the land back into community use.

“The standard of restoration carried out will impact upon the value of the site going forward and it is important that the work is undertaken by a considerate contractor that understands how the programme will impact upon the surrounding community.

“Community consultation has been at the heart of this process and we will maintain this objective before embarking on the successful restoration plan for the site.” The development has been welcomed by Fife Council and West Fife communities.

John Bonnar, secretary of Oakley and Comrie Community Council, said, “We as a community share the objective of restoration of the site to a satisfactory standard. We wish to see a wider community involvement in any future plans for the project.

“We look forward to progressing the plans in a constructive manner, working closely with MRL to take the project forward.” David Chisholm, the chair of Saline and Steelend Community Council, added, “Scottish Coal’s abandonment of the Blair House opencast site and the delay in finding a new owner to complete the works has left an ugly scar on the landscape and considerable anger and frustration within the community.

“We welcome the news that expressions of interest are at last being sought from mining companies to complete the restoration.

“The effort made previously to engage with the community was wholly inadequate but we now look forward to working constructively with MRL and the selected contractor to ensure that, once the remaining coal has been removed, the site is attractively landscaped to provide a variety of recreational opportunities for the surrounding communities.” Jim Birrell, Fife Council’s senior planning manager, said the local authority was “delighted”.

He continued, “As planning authority, the council wants to see the current site transformed, the remaining coal reserves extracted and the site subsequently restored to an appropriate quality and after use as per the current planning requirements.”