THE HUNT is on to find a way to unlock land around the Campbeltown Gas Works for development.
Health and safety rules say no more new homes or certain types of businesses within a radius of the works because of the potential risk; older properties remain exempt.
This locks up huge potential for the town and so a study is being planned. It was revealed at a meeting of the Kintyre Initiative Working Group (KIWG) last week that the original solution of moving the gas works would cost in excess of £5million.
Too expensive
Scotia Gas which maintains the gas works, serves only 1800 customers in Campbeltown so that is too expensive.
Others include changing the way the gas is supplied, from Liquid Methane Gas to Liquid Petroleum Gas as used in Thurso, Oban and Stornoway and would mean that all the appliances and vessels at the works would need to be converted to comply with health and safety regulations.
KIWG will now form a group to study the problem and ensure something will be done sooner rather than later.
