COUNCILLOR Ian Chisholm has written to Kennedy Renewables to enquire about restricted site access at Little Raith.

The SNP councillor contacted Jonny Kennedy, managing director of the company, after being made aware of issues with access at the wind farm site by a disabled constituent.

Cllr Chisholm has urged Mr Kennedy to install wicket gates at entrances to the site to comply with Scottish open access legislation.

On a site visit, the Lochgelly and Cardenden councillor said, “Kennedy Renewables know the law in Scotland which gives citizens the right to roam freely in any part of our country without landlords being able to ask us to leave.

“It is a fundamental right brought in by the Scottish Government a few years ago and is widely regarded as the most progressive law of its kind in Europe and the envy of even Scandinavian hikers.

“Kennedy have an information board accurately detailing these rights at the entrance but walkers are faced with a locked gate. This is not acceptable and certainly not compliant with the law.

“It breaches Fife Council core path guidelines and I have already spoken to the officer in charge of Fife’s core paths who will also be taking up the issue with Mr Kennedy.

“My letter asked him to install unlocked wicket gates suitable for disabled scooters and pedestrians and to restore the freedom to roam to our local community. I have a bit of a campaign going to restore various paths around the area and I would appeal to walkers and hikers to get in touch with me via Fife Council if they know of any restrictions to paths in the Cowdenbeath area.” In response, Mr Kennedy told the Times, “I have been corresponding with Councillor Chisholm and I completely respect the email he sent about open access and the right to roam act.

“I have let Councillor Chisholm know that we will endeavour to rectify this problem and apologies were put forward to him.

“We are currently looking into the problem and we will endeavour to sort it out. Whatever we do it will make it a lot easier for the public to roam around and quite rightly too.

“Councillor Chisholm has been quite supportive about wind and we are thankful to him for supporting the industry. We appreciate him coming forward as it was the first we had heard of it.”