Bid to turn former Kirkcaldy High Street office space into studio flat
An office in Kirkcaldy High Street could get a new lease of life as a flat.
A planning application for a change of use for the first floor premises at 25 High Street has been lodged with Fife Council.
It has been submitted by Margaret Cowie who wants to turn the office space into a one bedroom flat. The application does not impact on the business below it.
A supporting statement said: “The building has been marketed for the last two years as office space.
“As noted in many other localities and town centres, there has been a general trend away from the use of formal office space to home working. There are also a number of other vacant commercial units on both the upper and lower floors along Kirkcaldy High Street following a similar trend in online shopping and the cost of running restaurants and cafes.
“There is a clear structural decline in the demand for small scale commercial units in general and this is particularly evident in the more traditional shopping and commercial centres such as Kirkcaldy, particularly over the past decade and since Covid in particular.”
The statement said the space had been empty for some time, adding: “The introduction of a very small studio residence will allow for a realistic reuse of the building to a permanent residence.” Councillors will consider the application in due course.