Scottish Enterprise were at the community council meeting in Prestonpans on Tuesday, August 13 and it seems nothing ever changes.

There were several questions asked by a few of the public who attended the meeting in the hope that they would learn something new relating to the proposed Cockenzie Energy Park.

But there was no news and no answers to the questions. It was the usual runaround, a talk on renewable energy and the proposed buiding of the energy park.

The planning proposal makes only the statement that the Cockenzie Energy Park could accommodate a broad range of end-users with varying forms of development.

These end-users are currently unknown and so, in order to retain flexibility at this stage, whilst also ensuring comprehensive and robust assessment, a series of maximum development parameters have been defined.

The energy park project construction of a new quayside to support imports and exports of goods and the deployment to offshore wind turbine sites are set out.

Now what is Scottish Enterprise telling the public? It’s clearly not that they will be manufacturing these offshore wind turbines at Cockenzie.

There is a statement that the formation of serviced plots and associated infrastructure will be for development by others to support manufacturing operations.

This would state that Cockenzie Energy Park would be a repair and supply centre for the wind turbine industry. This would tie into the 365 days a year, 24 hours per day, that this energy park would operate.

It would not be cost effective to employ men to stand around waiting for the ship to dock. This will be a spot hire employment, exactly the same as when the ships docked at Leith and the pipes were transported to the quayside day and night.

The supply of new turbines for export would be brought into the site by road or rail. Road would be the most logical, the question is which road will they use: the main road from Musselburgh through to Cockenzie or the road from the bypass down to the bottom ‘Pans?

Will the Spanish firm that owns ScottishPower take out insurance for the possible damange to property from the movement of 100 tons of turbine and vehicle? There is no need to ask that question; the answer will be it is not ScottishPower’s responsibility to insure your property.

When Scottish Enterprise gets out of bed with the Spanish firm that owns ScottishPower, the people would possibly see a little democracy and responsibility to the residents of these areas. The people of East Lothian are not fodder for the Spanish firm that owns ScottishPower and they are not human fodder for Scottish Enterprise.

Alan Eeles Prestonpans