All we want for 2026 is our harbour back!

For generations we’ve enjoyed open public access to our historic Burntisland harbour. Yet in 2022, all harbour-front areas were fenced off by Forth Ports on spurious health and safety grounds. For the first time ever, the community was barred from our much-loved harbour. We believe this to be illegal.

Burntisland Harbour Access Trust (BHAT) has been fighting to have our legal rights of access respected. Generous support from the community has already enabled us to secure a strong legal opinion from our lawyers, BTO, confirming public rights of access to the harbour. Forth Ports, however, have failed to act on this, and Fife Council — which has a legal duty to assert and ensure rights of way — has refused to take any enforcement action.

In November, our campaign achieved a significant milestone: with the help of our MSPs, we succeeded in getting a dedicated amendment on Burntisland Harbour formally proposed to the Land Reform Bill in the Scottish Parliament. This was a major step forward, demonstrating just how seriously our case is now being taken at the highest levels. Although the amendment was not ultimately passed, the process produced a highly positive outcome — the Cabinet Secretary publicly committed to intervening to help resolve the issue. She has since visited Burntisland along with two senior civil servants, and met with us. Next she will meet separately with Forth Ports and Fife Council.

This commitment opens the door to a new phase of our campaign, but to make the strongest possible case as the Cabinet Secretary has these discussions, we must now present the most authoritative and comprehensive legal evidence available.

Professor Roddy Paisley, Chair of Law at Aberdeen University, is the leading authority in this area of Scots law. He has reviewed our lawyers’ opinion, walked the length of the harbour, and believes that — subject to further research — he will be able to provide a robust formal opinion confirming that legal rights of access apply. As he is the leading authority on the law of access in Scotland, his opinion will carry significant weight. He has already supported us extensively, including reviewing the Land Reform Bill and drafting the proposed amendment, all without charge.

To ensure our best chance of success, we wish to formally commission Professor Paisley’s expert legal opinion. Such specialist work would normally cost in the region of £7,000, but Professor Paisley and our lawyers BTO have generously offered to provide the expert opinion, and to meet all associated costs, for a significantly reduced budget. Given your earlier generosity at the rally in August and the support of the Big Green Market we already have over £1,000 in our Fighting Fund. We have set a crowdfunding target of £2,500 to meet the shortfall. The Big Green Market have also kindly agreed to match fund every pound we raise in 2026, up to a maximum of another £1,000

We know this is an expensive time of year, but if you can support the appeal — and please remember that every contribution, large or small, helps — then please do. Your generosity will bring us one step closer to reclaiming our historic harbour for the community. Lets make it happen!