New Fife flats plans given warmer welcome than previous ones

Alan McIlravie and Roy Mackie survey the plans. Pic by FPA

But local people have still expressed some concerns over a lack of amenities and a shortage of parking spaces for the Bruce Street land.

Fife Council has put forward the latest proposals for 11 affordable flats on the site which are restricted to two storeys, with car parking and landscaped areas.

The development is part of its affordable housing programme with Robertson Partnership Homes, and there are plans for 12 sites around Fife.

A public consultation exercise held in the village community centre in June drew largely positive responses, with many people saying it was much better than a previous plan for 24 flats within a three-storey development.

This application was later abandoned due to the public backlash which slammed it as being out of keeping with the surrounding area and detrimental to visual amenity as well as raising traffic concerns.

Alan McIlravie, provost of the Royal Burgh of Kinghorn Community Council, said: “The feedback on the latest plans has been generally positive and people are telling us that it is a lot more acceptable than before, which is good.

“We all want to see this eyesore removed but there are a few concerns about the lack of parking and amenity space.

“It has been said that people can park out on the street, but that won’t do for private householders.

“The council in its own submissions admitted that there wasn’t adequate parking within the boundaries of the development.

“We discussed the plans at a recent meeting of the community council and it was also noted that there appears to be a reduced amenity space for gardens around the flats themselves.

“It seems at first appearance if they reduced the amount of accommodation from 11 dwellings to 10 or even nine that would sort out the amenity space and parking instantly.

“We are keen for this development to take place because it is for social and affordable housing which Kinghorn badly needs, but we want to ensure it fits not only into the village but for those who will be occupying the houses.”

Fife Council has agreed to extend the consultation period for feedback from the community council until Thursday, September 7, which is two days before responses from the public have to be in.