FEARS an asbestos pipe running along Prestonpans beach will be abandoned as ownership of the former Cockenzie Power Station is battled out have been raised.

Prestonpans Community Council is to write to the county’s politicians demanding they take action to ensure the pipe, which would have taken waste from the power station to the ash lagoons, is not forgotten in the negotiations over the land.

Calum Miller, community councillor, told colleagues there appeared to be a “reluctance” of the people involved in the land to take responsibility for the pipe.

Mr Miller, who represents the community council on the Cockenzie Forum, set up to look at future proposals for the site, said he was concerned that the pipe would be left and, without monitoring or maintenance, could burst.

He said: “There is a reluctance on all sides to take ownership of the pipe or responsibility.

“It has historically been down to ScottishPower but the question has to be asked about what happens if it bursts and they have moved out of the area. Are we going to be calling Madrid to get it fixed?”

ScottishPower has been in negotiations with East Lothian Council, which wants to take ownership of the former power station land and draw up a masterplan for its future.

The company is also understood to be in discussions with Perth-based butcher Simon Howie, who operates Calport.

However, negotiations stalled when community group the Coastal Regeneration Alliance launched a legal challenge over its bid for a community right to buy to be placed on the land.

Despite losing its initial attempt, the alliance is now understood to be preparing a fresh bid to win the right to secure parts of the land itself.

ScottishPower has insisted that no deal will be struck until a decision is made on the community right to buy efforts.

Mr Miller said that a more constructive plan for the future of the pipe needed to be discussed with whoever took over the land.

He said: “There are no plans to remove it and officials are ducking what to do with it. The current ‘plan’ is to leave ownership with Iberdrola. I fear the best assets are being cherry-picked and the rubbish is being left behind for the people of Prestonpans to deal with.”

Prestonpans Community Council agreed to write to the county’s MP George Kerevan and MSP Iain Gray asking them to get involved in ensuring the pipe’s future is considered.

Chairman Martin Whitfield said: “We should write to them formally and ask them what they are doing about it.”