Fire-ravaged historic building in Kirkcaldy faces demolition for new development
A fire-ravaged historic building in Kirkcaldy is set to be demolished as part of a major re-development of the site of the former Viewforth High School.
Eastbank House has been left in an appalling state by firebugs, and now developers, Whiteburn, have applied to Fife Council for listed building consent to knock it down.
The company also wants approval to make alterations to the boundary walls as it seeks to transform the site into a new residential area of 73 homes.
Demolition work has already reduced the former school - the victim of another major fire - to little more than rubble, while Eastbank House, which once served as its annexe, remains standing.
Documents lodged highlight the challenges faced with limited access points to the wider site.
It says the route, in its current state, “is inadequate to support the development and the associated transport requirements of new residential use.”
The application proposes removing “a single small section of these buildings to ease this access point without considerably altering the setting of both listed buildings. “
It said it was a small change which would “allow the wider area and the proposed development to thrive and contribute the overall regeneration of the area.”
Viewforth closed its doors in 2016, and has been the victim of firebugs on several occasions.
Eastbank House was hit by a major blaze in 2017.
The baronial home was built around 1870 by the Earl of Rosslyn, and then bought by Henry Hutchison around 1902 before becoming part of the school.
The information in this story came from a public notice published in this newspaper. You can read more public notices in our classified section today.