Council scraps developer’s deal to build 200 much-needed council houses in four towns

It has terminated its deal with First Endeavour LLP after work stopped in December, and taken control of the sites. The project includes building houses in Kirkcaldy, Lochore, Dunfermline and Lumphinnans.

The company was meant to build 51 homes at New Flockhouse, Lochore; 97 at Lochgelly Road, Lumphinnans; 10 at Fair Isle Road, Kirkcaldy, and 45 at the former Bellyeoman depot, Dunfermline. The local authority said construction work stopped in December, and it has now taken control of the sites.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, housing spokesperson, said: “This is a very unfortunate situation for all involved and not the outcome we would have hoped for. Contracts will be dealt with through the council’s procedure and, moving forward, we need to ensure that these much-needed new council houses can be built and allocated with the minimum of delays.”

The council will now move on to the next stage of working with construction partners to complete the build of these new council houses.

Work on the homes in Fair Isle Road, Kirkcaldy is well underway, but the suite is lying dormant The site was formerly a clinic which had been closed for some years before being demolished to make way for 10 affordable homes, for rent through the local authority, including two which were wheelchair accessible.

The former clinic was repeatedly targeted by vandals. Plans to turn it into housing were first submitted in 2022.