Grangemouth residents warned as Longannet demolition day is announced

Grangemouth Community Council has received information from ScottishPower about the “major event”, which is to take place on Thursday, December 9.

The correspondence stated: “On or around December 9 – weather dependent – a planned major, non-emergency demolition event will take place at Longannet Power Station.

"This demolition has been carefully planned and resourced within a controlled safe environment by the demolition contractor Brown and Mason, under the supervision of the demolition site manager.

“Small quantities of explosives will be used to aid the demolition of the structure and will result in a higher than normal noise levels or rising dust that may attract your attention. This will only last a short duration, please do not be alarmed at this time.

“The demolition activity may pass with minimal visual or noise impact, but due to your close proximity to Longannet Power Station or the potential to be travelling in the surrounding area, ScottishPower Generation would like to make you aware of the planned activity.

“Emergency Services, Fife Council, Valleyfield Liaison Committee, and the local community councils have also been made aware of this planned major event. ScottishPower Generation and Brown and Mason would like to make you aware of this event and we hope these activities do not cause you any inconvenience.”

The writing was on the wall for the Kincardine power station, which opened in 1973, as soon as Scotland and the world made a commitment to move away from coal-fired facilities to more environmentally friendly means of power generation.

However, the plant still far exceeded its original three decade lifespan and operated for 46 years, eventually being decommissioned in 2016.

Back in 2018 Spanish rolling stock engineering company Talgo, which specialises in manufacturing fast, lightweight trains for countries like the USA and Saudi Arabia, announced the Longannet site was preferred location for its new factory.

According to Talgo, the factory would initially occupy an area of 70,000 square metres and its construction would take 18 months with at least 1000 people working on site once it was complete.

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