A RENEWED call has been made for an update on the vacant site at the former Longannet Power Station.

Local councillor Graeme Downie has contacted Scottish Power to ask about their plans but expressed disappointment that they had not responded.

He said: "I wrote to Scottish Power over a month ago because there were some rumours locally that Scottish Power had a plan for a hydrogen plan and I had had a company ask me had I hear what is going on as they had been trying to get in touch with Scottish Power as well and had had no response.

"Longannet is a site that has such huge potential particularly for green jobs and the industrial background in the area makes it an ideal place to look at as well.

"My worry is we miss that opportunity as it sails past us. I wrote to Scottish Power and am slightly frustrated I didn't hear anything back. I am very much supportive of any plans to bring it back to use.

"We are at a time when the Scottish Government and the UK Government are looking at how do we start developing sites to bring forward green industry more and high skilled jobs. My concern is we miss that opportunity because by the time Scottish Power decide what to do with the site, that opportunity has gone elsewhere.

"My other concern is whatever plans they for that site, if it is a hydrogen plan or anything else, these things take a long time and whatever it is, the local community want to know about it fairly early so they can demonstrate its viability and wellbeing for the area. There needs to be assurances and questions and that takes a lot of time.

"I am hoping at some point Scottish Power will come up with something good. The potential of that site for West Fife and the whole of Fife is massive."

Last year, plans for a train manufacturing plant at Longannet hit the buffers after the firm behind the £40 million proposals failed to secure a contract for HS2.

Talgo had announced in October 2018 their plans for a factory at the old power station at Kincardine that would employ 1,000 people but this was shelved after the unsuccessful bid.

A ScottishPower spokesperson confirmed no decisions have yet been made about the site.

They said: "Longannet is one of the prime brownfield industrial sites available for development in the UK and we are continuing to work hard to explore the best possible option for future use of this site.”