ONE of East Ayrshire’s abandoned opencast sites is now set to be restored to the tune of £3 million.

Restoration work is about to start at Dunstonhill surface mine near Patna.

The restoration project is being undertaken by opencast giant Hargreaves who are set to work in conjunction with East Ayrshire Council and Mine Restoration Limited.

Hargreaves’ proposal for the revamp of the site, using the available bond funding, was selected following an extensive tender exercise conducted by East Ayrshire Council, and including input from the local community.

The restoration work is set to create 26 jobs to overhaul the 129 hectare site over the next 12 months.

The Dunstonhill surface mine, originally operated by Scottish Coal, was left un-restored following their liquidation and has seen no activity since. Following the liquidation of Scottish Coal in April 2013, the council claimed the restoration bond for the site and secured a negotiated settlement of £3 million to deliver a revised restoration scheme.

The Hargreaves’ restoration plan comes following considerable safety concerns over a lack of fencing and sign posting warning ramblers of the steep incline to the site.

As part of the wider Kyle Forest project, Hargreaves will work with the project stakeholders to include the historically significant Lethan Hill into the scheme and address an issue with access to the war memorial.

Steve Anson, Managing Director for Hargreaves Coal said: “Hargreaves has been delivering restoration projects at surface mines across Scotland for over two years and we’ve already restored nearly 200 hectares.

“We’re delighted we’ve been chosen to deliver this project and at the same time have the opportunity to address the longstanding issue with Lethan Hill war memorial.” Council Leader, Douglas Reid said: “The contract with Hargreaves will utilise the £3 million received under the relevant restoration bond for the land reformation of the former open cast coal site.

“This is a significant step forward in terms of delivering an alternative restoration scheme for the site and we are grateful for input from the local community and the relevant landowners who contributed to the process.” Mines Restoration Limited chairman, Professor Russel Griggs OBE, said: “We welcome the commencement of works on the Dunstonhill site. The restoration will have a significant impact on the surrounding community, so it’s important that we address the unique contours of the site and restore it sympathetically and in a way that will benefit people living in the area.

“The main objective is to deliver a pragmatic approach to the restoration. We fully understand the challenges and will work with everyone involved to progress a solution.”