Dalgety Bay Clean-Up Works Delayed

The clean up of Dalgety Bay's contaminated beach could be delayed by around a year.

The Ministry of Defence has offered to pay for the £10million works, but doesn't want to start until summer 2015.

It's believed to be because of "a funding issue", and comes shortly after a reshuffle affecting political staff in charge of the MoD.

Local MP Gordon Brown has written to the defence body urging it to reconsider the delay.

He said: “A year delay in starting the clean up is an unnecessary imposition that will be regretted by the long suffering, and extremely patient residents of Dalgety Bay.

“We have fought long and hard for this clean up, and we have succeeded in securing £10 million for the work to be done.

“The goodwill the Ministry has shown in taking the right decision to fund the clean up is undermined by the yearlong delay in getting started.

“I have told the new Defence Minister of Fife Council planning authority’s support for an early start to the work, and of their willingness to do everything possible to speed the operation up.

“I hope that on reflection, a decision to avoid the delay will be made. It is unnecessary to go through another winter with particles accumulating on the breach when they could start to be removed very soon.”

Community council chair Colin McPhail is concerned nothing will be done under the current government: