ALEXANDER Dennis has reportedly put one of its two factory sites in Falkirk up for sale.
It comes despite the historic Scottish bus firm entering into talks to try and save the 400 jobs that are on the line.
The Scottish Government confirmed earlier this week that it is looking at a rescue package it thinks could save jobs at Alexander Dennis – but said details were being kept under wraps due to “commercial sensitivity”.
In June, the bus manufacturer first threatened to end its operations in Scotland by closing its sites in Larbert and Falkirk.
It is planning to centralise its operations in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
But The Daily Record is now reporting that Alexander Dennis has already put its 15-acre factory in Camelon up for sale – with the marketing agent describing it as "an excellent housing opportunity" for around 174 homes.
The firm insisted, however, the sale "does not represent a foregone conclusion".
In a statement, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (below) said: "We are working constructively with Alexander Dennis Ltd, the unions, the wider public transport sector and the UK Government on supporting and expanding the market for electric buses.
"This is all aimed at securing and creating jobs, helping to meet our climate targets and providing a sustainable future for the bus manufacturing industry, which plays an important role in the Scottish and UK economies."
Unite's regional secretary for Scotland Derek Thomson previously told a Holyrood committee that the closure of Alexander Dennis's Scottish operations would be "catastrophic" for the local area.
The threat of closure has already spilled into the Scottish economy, with Greenfold Systems Ltd, based in Dunfermline, Fife, closing because a major proportion of its operations were involved with the troubled bus firm.
A total of 81 jobs were lost after the "loss of a major contract", administrators said.
The threatened closure has become a major political issue, with Scottish Labour accusing the SNP of failing to do enough to support the firm.
Anas Sarwar has repeatedly criticised John Swinney of having done "nothing" to save jobs, pointing out that the [[SNP]] were ordering "buses from China, instead of from Scotland".
But it later emerged that in Labour-run Edinburgh, where the buses are municipally owned by the council, had not bought buses from Alexander Dennis in the last three years.
