Warning that historic Fife harbour could be washed away

The remnants of what was once Scotland’s second largest harbour, accommodating a fleet 200 fishing boats, will soon be washed away following recent, but continuing incursion from the sea.

In recent months, voracious tides have taken large chunks out of the harbour shingle beach and are now only a metre from car park, picnic tables and interpretation panels and plinths.

Following the wishes of local people expressed in the Buckhaven Community Action Plan (2018-23), modest improvements to the foreshore have recently been carried out by local charity CLEAR with Fife Council.

These include new paths, benches, picnic tables, extensive plan ting of trees and flowers and interpretation panels.

Long neglected, the magnificent location of the foreshore looking out across the Forth along with its fascinating history as a now forgotten fishing community, has potential to become a real asset.

The Fife Coastal Path was rerouted to divert along this stretch while further enhancement measures are planned.

Some of these improvements are now under serious threat, with high tides now reaching a metre of plinths and picnic tables which were at least four metres from the sea last year.

CLEAR chairman Bob Taylor said: “Serious coastal erosion is now occurring in the gaps between existing sea armour.

“Two hundred metres along from the old harbour beyond a wall of sea armour installed in 2007, the coastal braes are being seriously eroded by several metres per year, probing the new weak spots. The same now seems to be happening at Buckhaven’s old harbour.

“Despite the harbour’s size and historic significance, only the east pier is now visible and land torn up by the sea is actually occurring where the large harbour was filled in with housing and other rubble.

“Contaminated land funding enabled the 2007 rock wall to be installed and there is an additional fear that this latest erosion may also expose contaminated material.

“Concerns have been passed to Fife Council which deals with coastal protection, but it seems this particular stretch falls between two sections of sea armour which are maintained so no action has been promised.

“There is some irony in the fact 2020 is Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters while a mile up the road, the River Leven project is seeking to restore another waterfront.

“This area of Buckhaven has also fallen to the fifth most deprived neighbourhood in Scotland (according to SIMD 2020) so the foreshore enhancement programme can play a vital social and economic regeneration role.”