Development has began on a new £25 million green energy centre in north east Fife.

A visit from the Deputy First Minister John Swinney marked the official start of construction work on the Guardbridge site.

The biomass facility, using only wood from sustainable local sources, will be built on the site of a former paper mill at Guardbridge.

It will pump hot water from the plant four miles underground to heat and cool laboratories and student residences in St Andrews.

The green energy centre is being delivered by St Andrews University and will help regenerate north east Fife by creating over 225 construction jobs.

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Deputy Minister Swinney said: "I am delighted to be in Guardbridge today as work begins on this innovative and ambitious project."

University of St Andrews Chief Operating Officer Derek Watson said: "This is an exciting day for the green energy centre, for the University and for the local community. After years of planning and consultation we are now seeing this project get under way.

"The start of construction work at Guardbridge represents a major strategic step for the University. We are committed to becoming carbon neutral for energy and this large industrial site lends itself to the creation of a range of renewable energies which are vital to our efforts to remain one of Europe’s leading research institutions.

"With the biomass at its heart, we believe the diverse range of potential uses at Guardbridge has the capacity to re-establish this huge site as a key economic centre in Fife."

(LM)