SCOTTISH Enterprise hopes work will begin on the proposed new Cockenzie Energy Park by March 2016.

County planning officials told East Lothian Council this week that, if the scheme is approved, Scottish Enterprise has said it “hopes to be on site” within 18 months.

Councillors have agreed to set up a cross-party working group to ensure any development at the site of the former Cockenzie Power Station has maximum benefit for the county.

And they pledged to talk to local communities and take their views into account as the proposal develops.

Representatives of the Coastal Regeneration Alliance, established by the communities surrounding the proposed site as concern about its impact grows, attended the council meeting in Haddington Town House on Tuesday.

And Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader, said it was “bizarre” that everyone but the council has been talking about the issue for weeks.

The opposition leader was critical of Scottish Enterprise and the lack of details available about the plans. He said: “It is very difficult for anyone to have full or meaningful discussions in the absence of any details.

“Scottish Enterprise needs to step up to the plate. We need that detail as soon as possible.” The proposed energy park would build and repair wind turbines for the offshore windfarm industry and could stretch as far inland from the former power station site as to the former opencast mining site at Blindwells, as well as requiring a deep water quay to be built, reclaiming more than 11 hectares of land to create it.

Labour councillor Margaret Libberton, who represents the Preston, Seton and Gosford ward, said questions needed to be answered about the project, and its benefits to the local communities.

She said: “There is no doubt this whole project has captured the imagination and concerns of the surrounding communities. East Lothian Council must play a major role and questions must be answered.

“I appreciate that energy production is vital but if we are being told that [a similar project at] Methil is running at 25 per cent we have to investigate this as a council.” Councillor John McMillan, spokesman for economic development and tourism, promised the council would be “open and transparent” throughout the planning process.

He said: “Let me assure anyone with fears about this: it is a dream, not a nightmare. It is an opportunity, and our mission is to create jobs but also to protect our communities.” Council leader Willie Innes said the local authority would “champion consultation” with communities.

Following the meeting, the Coastal Regeneration Alliance said it was “extremely disappointed to witness the support of the energy park proposals report by the full meeting of the council”.

In a statement, the group said while it welcomed councillors’ move to create a cross-party committee to actively engage with communities, the councillors had been “shoe-horned” into backing the park.

The group’s next meeting is on Tuesday at 7pm in Chalmers Memorial Church, Port Seton, where the CRA will continue to put forward the communities’ concerns about the energy park proposals.

The next stage of the process for Scottish Enterprise is a second round of public consultation meetings, expected to be held around December this year, with more detailed proposals hopefully unveiled.

The organisation hopes to submit a formal planning application by March next year before holding a third round of public consultations next summer.