Four Dunfermline projects to benefit from £5m Levelling Up cash

St Margaret’s House, Fire Station Creative, Tower House and the Dunfermline Learning Campus have all been shortlisted to receive a portion of the city’s unexpected cultural Levelling Up funds.

It was up to Fife Cabinet Committee councillors to approve the shortlist on Thursday morning, and they did so unanimously.

The cash will be used to renovate St Margaret’s House into a new cultural space; repair and restore the city’s B-listed Fire Station Creative building; turn Tower House into an improved cultural space; and create a new amphitheatre for outdoor performances at the Dunfermline Learning Campus.

“Levelling-Up funding will make a significant contribution to improving the long-term prospects of the city – securing its rich history and culture for generations to come,” Council leader David Ross (Labour) said.

“We’re learning from the success of other cultural cities and putting culture and creativity at the heart of Dunfermline’s recovery and growth plans. This supports the city’s priorities of building strong and resilient communities and making the city a better place to live, work and visit.”

Dunfermline area committee convener James Calder (Lib-Dem) added: “Timescales are short, however we are committed to developing these projects which will not only bring benefits to the city of Dunfermline but Fife as a whole.”

None of the approved projects are “shovel ready for delivery.” According to committee agenda papers, the detailed plans and business cases might take more than a year to complete even after the shortlist is confirmed.

However, the council believes that these four projects are capable of being completed on time by the two year deadline.

“As with other levelling up fund allocations, the funding is time limited and requires commitment to spend by March 2026 – which is a relatively short time frame for delivery,” Gordon Mole, head of Fife’s business and employability team said.

Dunfermline Central councillor Derek Glen (SNP) welcomed the additional funding for the city.

“The process for allocating and then spending [Levelling Up funding] is in shambles, but in that context I wanted to extend thanks to [the Fife Business and Employability team] for the swift turnaround of possibilities that we can spend this money on,” Cllr Glen said.

Other projects and activities such as renovation of the Carnegie Hall and Music Institute; renovation of Pittencrieff Park’s Glen Pavilion and other park improvements; and Tower Burn trail regeneration didn’t mesh with the Levelling Up criteria and won’t be considered for part of the £5 million. They will instead be considered as part of a ten year cultural plan for the City.

WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM?

In early March, the UK Government chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that Westminster’s Spring Budget had delivered a £5 million boost for Dunfermline.

The cash will come from the UK’s Levelling Up fund, which aims to help regenerate town and city centres and high streets.

According to a Cabinet Committee report, the funds were given to Dunfermline to “ensure that every city in Scotland benefits from Levelling Up.”

HOW WILL THE FUNDING WORK?

Now that Fife Councillors have approved the shortlist of projects for funding, they will need to consult with Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman (SNP) about their decisions.

At that point, the UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will then work closely with the council to finalise the plans and reach agreement on a way forward.