New business units for flagship Kirkcaldy development

The industrial Innovation Investment programme has now secured planning permission for seven single storey business units on land to the east of Midfield Drive, within Dunnikier Business Park.

This gives the green light for work to start on site this autumn.

The programme is part of the £1.3b Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, a partnership of local authorities, universities, Scottish and UK Governments to deliver a 15-year programme that will transform the regional economy.

The construction will boost economic development opportunities within Kirkcaldy, and provide small business space to local enterprises with growth ambitions.

The Fife Industrial Innovation Investment programme will deliver new buildings and serviced sites across Mid and South Fife.

It will support the creation of 1,000 new skilled permanent jobs and almost 600 short-term construction jobs.

Councillor Neil Crooks, convener of Kirkcaldy Area Committee, welcomed the progress.

He said: "This is a major economic opportunity for the businesses that will be able to expand into the new units.

“We know that demand in Kirkcaldy is strong for this type of Unit, so the emphasis is very much on getting these ready for tenants as quickly as possible.”

He said the focus remind on “fairer economic growth” - “where everyone benefits from good employment opportunities and regional investments.”

Councillor Crooks added: “The programme of investment will deliver much-needed new industrial buildings in key locations in mid and south Fife.

“This is another important step forward in delivering the ten-year programme that will encourage more businesses to locate and grow within Fife, and secure a further £30m of investment by the private sector.”

Economy convener, Councillor Altany Craik, said the project was the “first visible sign” of the positive changes that will come under the City Region Deal.

He added: “Through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal regional partners will secure more than £1.3b of investment for the city region over the next 15 years. We believe that this can create clear opportunities for genuine inclusive economic growth and investment in Fife.”

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Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, said: “These deals benefit Scotland as a whole and have the power to build on an area’s significant strengths and expertise. Fife’s flagship industrial innovation investment programme is a perfect example of this and I’m delighted to see it progressing.”

The Fife Industrial Innovation Investment programme will be delivered in three phases. Over the next two years new industrial premises will be developed across four sites in Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Lochgelly and Dunfermline.

Over two hectares of new serviced employment land in Dunfermline and Dalgety Bay will also be made available for immediate investment by new or existing businesses.

In consideration of the application for planning permission, the proposal to erect the business units and associated work within the existing Dunnikier Business Park was assessed against the Development Plan alongside other considerations, including the principle of development, transportation, urban design and the demand for quality, modern units.