Former Fife maternity hospital mansion conversion into flats plan withdrawn

The B-listed building sits at the heart of a major housing development currently underway in Kirkcaldy.

The application, from Glenrothes based Easy Living Development, related specifically to the rear of the main building after it uncovered the full extent of the damage it had suffered dover the years.

In February, it submitted evidence of the decay sustained by the main staircase, and concluded the only option was a complete removal and replacement.

There was “extensive evidence” of water damage to the upper and lower floor surfaces of the stair, and its visible structure made repairs “unsustainable.”

The developer catalogued fire, water, woodworm, dry and wet rot, and timber rot among the issues contributing to its current state.

And its report concluded: “Based on limited exposure and visual evidence only, serious concern regarding the areas not yet exposed must be expressed.”

Scott McKechnie, director, said: “Once the hospital’s extension came down, we found issues which we didn’t expect.

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“Our aim is still to convert it to nine apartments - withdrawing the application relates to the rear of the building where we need to look at the external facade and replace it with something more modern.”

Work on the site continues, with the first resident moving into the newly built mews this week.

The mansion house wasn’t released to buyers while investigations were carried out to determine the extent of the problems.

Plans to redevelop the site of the town’s former maternity hospital - which closed in 2012 with the completion of the new wing at Victoria Hospital - were first unveiled in 2018.

The initial plan envisaged 15 bungalows, 20 semi-detached houses, 11 detached houses with views across the Forth and nine apartments in the mansion house – and four apartments in the stable block, which is also being converted.

In September 2020, the company submitted an updated application relating to the mansion house seeking listed building consent for internal and external alterations to the rear of the building.

It came after work revealed that “substantial parts” of the former Fife Health Board property had been altered or removed.

The information in this story came from a public notice published in this newspaper. You can read more public notices in our classified section today.

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