COWDENBEATH Area Committee is right behind the plans to see a mining heritage centre created in Lochgelly.

The committee unanimously backed a motion to welcome the Happyland Mining Heritage Centre being built following a decision by the local authority's administration to invest £200,000 in the project.

The project is to be managed by the Lochgelly Heritage Sub Group of the town's Development Forum and in partnership of other Heritage Groups in Cardenden, Benarty, Lumphinnans, Kelty and Cowdenbeath.

In moving the motion Lochgelly and Cardenden councillor Linda Erskine said: "As I look around this room just about everyone has a connection with coal mining.

"When you look around our communities today there are few signs of the coal industry but it is the reason why every one of our communities is here.

"The Lochgelly Heritage Group has established their mining trail following the old railway line linking the Nellie and Jenny Gray Collieries and the site for the Mining Heritage Centre would be in what was the legendary Happyland near the the bottom of the public park.

"This is a truly collaborative project and will see communities working together."

Lochs councillor Ann Bain asked what sort of consultation had been done with other Heritage Groups and Ms Erskine said that the Lochgelly people had been speaking to other community groups in Cowdenbeath, Cardenden, Kinglassie and more discussions would be taking place.

Cowdenbeath councillor Alistair Bain commented: "I like the idea of the project for coal was what the area was literally built on and we must have all the communities involved in this idea."

Lochs member Alex Campbell said: "I was brought up a miner's son and I was proud to be at the recent exhibition in Kelty when the public interest displayed was absolutely phenomenal, coal mining can never be forgotten."

His colleague, Councillor Mary Lockhart added: "The communities which make up the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area are very independently minded but they will all want to be involved in the creation of the mining Heritage Centre, of that I am certain.

"This will be about partnerships flourishing."

The committee agreed to back the Mining Heritage Centre project.