Demolition plan for Kirkcaldy’s multi-storey carparks after ‘zero success’ finding buyer

But demolition of the waterfront and Thistle Street car parks is still many months down the line.

This week, AHR Architects Ltd, acting on behalf of Fife Council’s property services formally lodged an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening opinion on the local authority’s planning portal. It is a key early step in the planning process, with a full application for demolition to follow, should councillors sign off on the proposal.

It comes after attempts to find a developer interested in the suite generated “zero success.”

Touted as a prime development opportunity on the town’s waterfront, they were actively marketed for sale at the end of 2024 - more than two years after the gates to the Thistle Street car parked were closed permanently, while usage of the Esplanade carpark remains limited.

The hope of selling them came after officers were unable to find the funds to knock the car parks down - but now the council is keen to act to finally start the process of tapping into the potential of one of the biggest sites in the town centre.

Papers outline the screening option reveal the car parks are in desperate need of repairs to bring it up to scratch.

The architects’s report said: “Fife Council have given serious consideration to the economic value of the works and additionally to the option of full demolition of both structures. Given the prohibitive costs and current state of the buildings and with no credible opportunities to reuse the buildings in their current form: no offers to purchase from any respective buyers; the proposal to demolish both car park buildings is therefore required.”

It added: “There are a vast number and array of reparative / remedial works required to bring both structures up to a satisfactory condition, in relation to their usage requirements. It has therefore been deemed unlikely to be economically viable to sufficiently reduce or eliminate the identified structural concerns raised.

“This will remove the buildings which are at risk from further vandalism if left vacant for a continued period. With no suitable viable alternative use for the buildings, the demolition will also allow for the cleared site to be taken forward for potential redevelopment.”

Councillors will consider the application in due course