A WORLD renowned architect who created plans to transform an opencast coal mine near Kelty into a major tourist attraction, has died.

American Charles Jencks, who was known for his interest in post-modernism and co-founding the Maggie's cancer care charity with late wife Maggie Keswick, passed away on Sunday at the age of 80.

A graduate of Harvard University, Mr Jencks designed the Fife Earth Project, which was described as "one of the most exciting public art projects Scotland has ever seen", that intended to transform the St Ninians opencast coal mine near the M90.

The multi-million pound restoration plans for a 665-acre park, announced a decade ago, included four different-shaped landscape mounds, and were aimed at bringing visitors and money to the village.

Although work started, it was left unfinished when Scottish Coal went bust in 2013 and, speaking to the Press in 2014, Mr Jencks said: "One can only hope the whole project will be revived. Never say never."

Whilst landowner, Hargreaves, stepped in to finish the excavation of coal and restoration of the site, the land art was not completed as originally intended.

Last year, however, designs for a 200-foot 'Citizen Spire' monument, designed by award-winning Dunfermline artist Ian Moir, of Fire Station Creative, to be created at the site were approved by Hargreaves ahead of a feasibility study being conducted.

Mr Jencks is survived by his four children and two step-children.