The UK Government has pledged up to £9 million to support the future of the Mossmorran site in Fife following the closure of its ethylene plant, in a move aimed at protecting the wider local economy and communities. Announced by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, the investment is intended to help secure new uses for the site and provide a measure of reassurance to workers, their families and surrounding towns affected by the loss of operations.
Funding will be dependent on viable proposals being brought forward and approved, with officials now actively seeking appropriate commercial partners to unlock the support. The Mossmorran site is being marketed as an attractive investment prospect, with its industrial heritage, skilled local workforce and proximity to other major energy and defence employers all being highlighted as key strengths.
The new commitment builds on a package of measures already introduced to support Mossmorran workers into future employment. These include a guarantee of a job interview at the Grangemouth plant, where the UK Government has committed £120 million of investment, and an extension of the Grangemouth Training Guarantee to Mossmorran staff who delivered shared services to the refinery.
Ministers say the pledge reflects a wider determination to back Fife’s economy at a time of significant industrial change. In recent years the UK Government has supported the acquisition of Harland & Wolff by Navantia, securing the future of its Fife yard, and committed £340 million to Rosyth Dockyard, underlining the region’s continuing role in the UK’s industrial and defence landscape.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said the government was “ready to invest up to £9 million in Mossmorran’s future” and recognised “an incredibly difficult time for the plant’s workers and their families”. He added that the priority now is to look after employees, chart a successful new chapter for the site, and mitigate the wider impact on the Fife community as the taskforce, led by Fife Council and involving local representatives, employers and the Scottish Government, works on next steps.
