Call for report into £1 million Shorehead project

The project was finalised last year, aimed at boosting the amount of visitors to the high street and the retail park and regenerating Bridge Street, which links the two.

As part of the project, high quality pavements and better lighting were installed, and the car park was reconfigured, with the hope of hosting events there.

However, Cllr Colin Davidson argues that the Shorehead project has come in over-budget, been delivered late, and has not solved a flooding problem.

He also said water and electricity were meant to be available for when events were held in the car park.

Leven could benefit from a £4.3 million pot for Fife to be invested in town centres across the Kingdom – but Cllr Davidson said that funding, should Leven be allocated a portion of it, should not be spent until a report into the Shorehead project has been conducted.

“I don’t want any more money spent before what we expected from the Shorehead work is delivered,” he said.

“I think it’s been money well spent if the facility is up to the specifications we expected. What has been delivered is really good. I think it is going to be an asset for the town.”

“But it is our job to scrutinise how the council spends its money. We have to reflect on where we are and take lessons from this project.”

One of the buildings affected by the flooding is Curtain Designs.

Mary Lightbody said the rain water comes up to the door of the building, which sits at the junction of North Street and Branch Street.

“When cars come round, the water splashes up,” she said.

“I’ve already replaced all the wood on the windows. If it goes on I’ll have to replace it again.”

Ms Lightbody said she made Fife Council aware of the issue before work started on the Shorehead, and “they assured me that they had done it the right way and it wouldn’t come to the shop”.

She also believes that the flooding problem has having an impact on her business.

“When people are trying to walk this way, the cars are going past and splashing them.”

Dave Paterson, Levenmouth community manager, said: “We are investigating the flooding issue at the shopfront, this is recognised as a concern by the council and will be resolved.

“We are happy to update the councillor on all aspects of the Shorehead project and will make the arrangements to do this.”

Work began on the project in 2017, and continued into 2018.

Some business owners made complaints while the work was being carried out, saying their business had been affected.

The owner of a Shorehead pizza parlour claimed walk-in business had dropped 80 per cent while the work was going on.