Local Bid To Take Over Tragic Quarry

Politicians want to use new legislation to take over the Prestonhill quarry in Inverkeithing, after the death of an 18-year old man yesterday.

The body of John McKay from Kirkcaldy was recovered yesterday - police investigations are underway. It is the second death at the Inverkeithing quarry in a year, after Cameron Lancaster died attempting an ice bucket challenge in August. 

Local councillor Alice McGarry Is meeting with MSP for Mid Fife and Scotland Annabelle Ewing today to discuss the possibility of using the Community Empowerment Act to take control of the quarry and fill it in. The law lets certain bodies to buy abandoned or neglected land.

Cllr McGarry said she hopes: "as a community, to take over the quarry, and look towards getting funding to make it safe, which really involves draining it and bringing the face down, sloping it in some shape or form. Not a cheap business."

She added: "A few years ago when we had difficulties with the quarry, I got a lot of drawings from one of the planners at Fife council, who showed a quarry that had been restored in Midlothian, so there are ways to restore and make safe quarrys, but obviously large sums of money are involved in that."

Douglas Chapman is the local MP, he supports the idea, but believes the owner of the quarry has questions to answer: