A representative from Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) has updated members of Prestonpans Community Council (PCC).

The Inch Cape Offshore Windfarm, currently in late stage development, will see up to 72 turbines located 15km off the Angus coast and will connected to the national transmission system at Cockenzie via a substation on the former power station site.

As part of the project, the communities of Prestonpans and Cockenzie and Port Seton are set to benefit from funding, which could be used in key projects.

At their March meeting, community councillors were eager to learn how much Prestonpans would benefit from the scheme.

However, the representative – Fiona Milligan, community and stakeholder liaison officer at ICOL – confirmed that its board was still to sign off the scheme and there was “still no number” for how much communities would receive.

She added that she was still to receive confirmation of PCC’s position on the Association of East Lothian Community Councils’ (AELCC) proposal of a community benefit fund. The AELCC’s proposed fund would see directly affected communities receive up to 60 per cent of the funds, with the remaining 40 per cent shared among other parts of East Lothian.

On asking DJ Johnston-Smith, the group’s chairman, whether PCC would participate in this scheme, he highlighted the group’s hesitance towards to the plan.

He added that PCC were unwilling to commit to something without a figure that would determine whether the town would benefit or not from the scheme.

Ferhan Ashiq, community councillor, said: “I feel like we are the only community without a figure yet. At some point we are going to have to put pressure on you.”

Following the meeting, Fiona stressed the sector was waiting on updated Scottish Government guidance.

She said: “We have been waiting for three years but it is going in the right direction; however, ICOL understands the pressure communities are under to plan ahead and will work to help make that happen as soon as possible.”

She added that approval had been sought from the board to start a consultation process, in late summer or autumn, to garner opinion on what funds should be spent on, as well as delivering an accurate figure to community councils.