Former Cupar Police Station site to be used for housing

Fife Council’s Assets and Corporate Services committee met yesterday (Thursday) and agreed to approve plans to transfer the Carslogie Road site to Fife Council’s housing service to be developed, along with sites in Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly.

The police station was demolished after it closed in 2013, when officers moved to a new station on Waterend Road.

Plans had been put forward in the past to develop the site for a new care home, but these met opposition.

A first application was submitted in 2016, but locals voiced concerns about the proposal, before councillors rejected it. A second application was submitted the following year but this was later withdrawn.

The old Cupar Police Station site has a current market value of £600,000.

The decision to use the site for housing was welcomed by local councillor, Karen Marjoram.

“I welcome this decision to transfer the site ownership within the council to the affordable housing account,” said Cllr Marjoram.

“Even though we have recently completed the site at Pitscottie Road, we still need more affordable housing in the Cupar area, so this site will give the council potential for reducing our waiting lists.

“The council’s plans will include making sure that there are a range of house types including those for people with specific needs.”

The development of the three sites will contribute to phase three of the council’s Affordable Housing Programme.

A plan was agreed in 2016 to support the building of 400-450 new council homes in 2017-19. A number of sites across Fife have already been transferred to provide around 299 units. However, housing services does not currently have sufficient assets in Fife to meet the housing needs.