Plan to build 177 new flats at Kirkcaldy Waterfront

The four block development would also have provision for commercial use units at ground floor level, including potentially restaurants and artist’s studios.

The proposals by Grant Road Properties of Broughty Ferry were revealed at a public consultation at the Philp Hall in Links Street on Tuesday.

Representatives from Grant Road Properties and NORR Consultants, architects for the project, were there to answer questions from the public who were invited to view artist’s impressions and layout plans and fill in feedback forms giving their thoughts.

The plans, which would be built in three phases, include a large L-shaped 10-storey block with flats on the top nine levels and commercial use on the ground floor to be built on land formerly occupied by the old bus garage, next to the basin car park. Three further blocks with a decreasing number of storeys would then stretch along towards and behind Morrisons supermarket to the Seafield picnic area.

As well as the houses the plans include car parking for 303 vehicles behind the flats facing out to the Forth.

Vennels running between the four blocks would give views of the water from the Esplanade leading to the Coastal Path. There is also provision for play areas, landscaping and public realm artworks.

Craig Stewart of Grant Road Properties said the company had agreed a right to buy the land for the first phase of the development from Stagecoach, subject to planning permission being granted and was also in a similar position with the land behind Morrisons which is owned by McDonald Estates.

He said they were also in negotiation with the owners of the piece of land in between the two where KL Motors currently has a second-hand car garage.

Part of the land was earmarked as a hovercraft terminal for the cross-Forth service proposed by Stagecoach owner Brian Soutar, and later by Forthfast Ferries, but the plans were left dead in the water when Edinburgh City Council rejected the plans for its side of the water.

Mr Stewart said that if planning was granted he would hope to start on phase one next summer.

Despite welcoming plans to develop the area, described by several people as “an eyesore” concerns were expressed by several parties about the height of the large block which they said would block off views of the water for residents and visitors.

Shane Halstead, chairman of the local tenants and residents group said: “I would rather have that than an empty space, but I wouldn’t like to see them blocking off the lovely sea view.”

Barbara Johnstone said she had seen many plans over the years and only Morrisons had come to fruition.

“Anything would be better than the state it has been in for more than 20 years.”

But her husband Alex added: “I didn’t expect it to be this big. We like the idea of building there, but these big multi-storeys are not my cup of tea.”