Tullis Russell demolition set to make way for £20m heat centre

The purchase of the building adjoining the power station on the former paper maker’s land by RWE, which already operates the biomass facility on the site, has been completed, marking another significant step forward for the Glenrothes Heat project.

It will provide low cost heating to businesses, and up to 372 homes in the centre of Glenrothes.

“With a planning application for the energy project expected to be submitted in September for formal approval, the demolition will write the final chapter in the 206-year Tullis Russell paper manufacture’s history, following the the company’s collapse in April. 2015,’’ said a spokesman for RWE.

“This building will now be demolished subject to the relevant pre-planning approvals.

They added: “The demolition contractor has also been appointed, Erith will mobilise machinery onsite on Tuesday this week to start the deconstruction of the building in August.

‘‘The building will be brought down using long reach demolition plant, with no explosive demolition required due to the fact that the structure is close to other buildings and the power plant.

“The method of demolition and demolition plans, have received prior planning approval from the local authority this includes hours of working and type of methods used.”

The demolition is expected to take six months to complete.

“We will ensure that the local community is kept informed throughout the project,” added the RWE spokesman.

The purchase of land now makes RWE the landlords for Glenrothes Paper Ltd, which operates a paper business on the site.

The announcement follows the recent Scottish Government grant of £8.5 million from its Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme to the Glenrothes project.

Ian Calvert, RWE’s head of commercial asset management (Markinch) told the Gazette: ”This is a significant step forward for RWE.

“We are proud to be a key part of the Glenrothes district heating scheme, which will provide affordable heat to many local homes and help to reduce emissions.”

With planning approval expected to be granted the first connections could be made as soon as 2019.