Campaigners welcome Fife gas plant rejection at Hillend

Image source, James Glen

Image caption, Protesters also attended the meeting wearing face masks and holding signs: "Fife Council Don't Be Fossil Fools"

Climate campaigners have welcomed a decision to reject plans for a new gas plant in Fife.

Fife Council turned down the application for the facility in Hillend on Monday.

Hillend Action Group staged a protest outside the council building alongside Extinction Rebellion Fife and Friends of the Earth Scotland before the vote.

A spokeswoman for the firm behind the plans, Gas Generation Growforth, declined to comment.

The 19.9MW electricity generation plant was planned so it could supplement renewable energy during peak demand.

Plans showed it would be 125m in length, and it would have 10 chimneys measuring 14m (46ft) in height.

It was planned on a site 250m from houses.

Residents from the Hillend Action Group have been resisting the proposed development due to concerns about local air pollution and its contribution to the climate crisis.

Group member Ian Wragg said: "I am delighted that common sense has prevailed and the air quality concerns of local residents, Sepa and the NHS have been listened to.

"We cannot keep building fossil fuel gas plants as they accelerate climate change and prolong our reliance on fossil fuels."

The decision was also welcomed by Friends of the Earth Scotland and Extinction Rebellion Fife.