Plans to remove the bunds around the former coal store which served the former Cockenzie Power Station – and infill the hole where the power station building was located with the removed earth – have prompted concerns about a loss of habitat for wildlife from a community group.

Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council (CPSCC) has responded to East Lothian Council, expressing concern about the loss of habitat which the bunds and the associated areas support.

The site was purchased by the local authority to support future economic growth and to create employment opportunities. A successful submission was made to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to secure funding in support of the site’s regeneration and making it developable.

READ MORE: Plans submitted for work at site of former county power station

The application details what the £11.3 million funding will be used for, including removing the bunds from around the former coal store, increasing the area that is developable and improving access, and using bund material to infill the hole where the former power station building was sited to create a level, developable platform.

However, a CPSCC spokesperson said: “East Lothian Council describe the woodland as self-seeded; it nevertheless supports a wide variety of bird species.

“CPSCC has noted, after a survey, the bund at the southern boundary is particularly species-rich and should be retained.

“CPSCC notes an earlier report undertaken as part of the Link Road planning application which suggests there may be hazardous substances within the bunds. The soil of the bunds and power station site have been tested as part of this planning application, and it appears all samples found to contain asbestos material were from the site of the former power station rather than the bunds.”

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “Baseline habitat surveys have been undertaken within the sites to record the type and condition of habitats, with the results set out in the Ecological Impact Assessment Report that accompanies the planning application. Future redevelopment proposals for the site will be required to provide biodiversity enhancing proposals.”

Concerns were also raised by members of Prestonpans Community Council at the group’s meeting last month.

Graeme Marsden, East Lothian Council project manager for growth and sustainability, attended to hear questions on the plans.

DJ Johnston-Smith, chair of the group, said: “I think the key thing missing is visualisation. What will the finished project look like? There are drawings, but people don’t have all day to go through countless PDF documents.

“A clear visualisation from an artist could help answer many questions and, for a project like this, I think that is important.”