Comment: Fresh eyes on familiar scars on Kirkcaldy town centre's landscape

The days of decisions being taken from on high are over.

The people who will lead this debate, shape it and create a clear path for more progress will be those who live here, shop here and socialise here.

Love Oor Lang Toun may be a relatively new player in town, but the community interest company now has funding to start work - and the resource to do it.

It’s already immersed in the issues and challenging facing our town centre, so the prep work has already been done.

Identifying fix eyesores - long-closed big retail units and banks - will help focus attention of what can happen next.

And this isn’t about filling them with more of what we once had.Should they be demolished and new connectivity made with the waterfront?What space hides behind them sitting unused and largely forgotten?

And who can tap into that potential which has been left to stagnate for far, far too long?The work done by Love Oor Lang Toun will help to fill in the missing pieces of the jigsaw that is the town centre picture.

It won’t all happen overnight, hut having a dedicated voice will mean there is constant attention - and action.

Kirkcaldy town centre needs both as it starts to embrace residential and recreation facilities as well as retail.

Get the mix right and its future is bright.

And your voice may just deliver the best idea of all ...