84 inquiries for projects at Grangemouth received by Government, MSPs told
The Scottish Government has received 84 inquiries about projects for Grangemouth, MSPs have been told.
The refinery on the site was converted into an import terminal earlier this year, with the loss of more than 400 jobs.
The decision was announced last year by owner Petroineos, citing the financial unsustainability of the facility.
In response to the impending closure, the UK Government, the Scottish Government and Petroineos started work on what became known as Project Willow, a report which laid out the potential future of the site in areas such as sustainable aviation fuel.
Speaking at a meeting of the Economy and Fair Work Committee in the Scottish Parliament, Jan Robertson, the Grangemouth director for Scottish Enterprise, said: 'As of today, we've had 84 inquiries and we've been working through and triaging them.'
Ms Robertson told the committee there was a 'mixture of inquiries', including those interested in the site as well as some which 'have a good opportunity to become projects in the relatively near-term'.
'What I mean by that is the next three to four years,' she said.
'Our approach very much at the moment is working with those and working as closely and quickly as we can to make the progress that we want to see in Grangemouth.'
Speaking later in the session, Holyrood acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said the 'door's not closed' to companies and inquiries could still be made about working at Grangemouth, adding that Petroineos had also received approaches.
Ms Martin said she was hopeful for the future of Grangemouth.
'We could look back five years and start pointing fingers, but the most important thing is that in the last year – actually the last six months – Project Willow and the task force have moved things along in a way that's been swift, agile, focused,' she said.
'I am feeling so much more confident than I did this time last year in the prospects for that site.'
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