IT'S high speed ahead for West Fife as a massive 1,000 jobs are set to arrive at Longannet.

Spanish company Talgo have announced this morning (Wednesday) that the former power station site has been selected to become a new train manufacturing factory as part of £40 million investment plants.

The company have said Longannet was chosen for its "excellent connectivity by sea, rail and road," as well as the "availability of skilled workers" in the local area, and the "ability to create a 'pipeline' of engineers and innovators to grow capability".

Carlos de Palacio, President of Talgo, said: "This has been a tremendously challenging mission for Talgo, and I have personally seen excellence in all corners of the UK. It has been a difficult decision to make, as the quality has been so high in so many places.

"The establishment of a manufacturing facility at Longannet is a significant part of Talgo’s future strategy.

"I want to congratulate Paul Lewis and Scottish Enterprise, for bringing together a wide-ranging team of industrialists, academics, politicians, civil servants and development experts. Their efforts are a credit to Scotland."

The station closed in March 2016 and demolition work is under way following the loss of 370 direct jobs, and up to 1,000 overall.

After a six-strong shortlist of preferred locations for the factory was whittled down to two, Longannet's competitor site in Chesterfield will now act as an Innovation Centre.

The site will serve and develop Talgo's 'All Britain' strategy, drawing expertise from across the UK to complement the Longannet manufacturing factory.

Talgo are currently competing to land the lucrative £2.75 billion contract to build the trains for HS2, which has yet to be awarded by the UK Government.