Decision Day: 100 new homes planned for former Kirkcaldy linoleum factory site

Miller Homes is seeking permission to erect 105 homes in a new housing estate on land once used by Forbo Nairn, the linoleum company, which continues trading from a nearby site.

Fife Council planners have recommended the plans for approval, despite Miller's vision not being entirely in line with the local authority's policies.

Under its own local development plan - the blueprint for the Kingdom against which all planning applications are assessed - the Den Road site is earmarked for 100 homes and additional employment use.

Miller's proposal for 105 homes is in exceedence of the house limit and will not leave enough land spare for further uses - nor will there be the recommended amount of green space. However, planners have concluded that this is preferable to asking Miller to go back and redraw its plans again.

In his report to councillors, planning officer Bryan Reid says the mix of three and four bedroom terraced, semi-detached and detached dwellings is "considered to be acceptable on this occasion" - but has knocked back suggestions from economic development officers that Miller pay the council for the loss of employment land.

The housebuilder will not be required to make a contribution to local education, public art, green space or transport budgets, nor will it have to provide any affordable housing as part of the development. This is because it is redeveloping vacant and derelict land, which the council deems enough of a benefit to the local community.

A total of 23 objections have been made to the plans. Local concerns about the road network's ability to handle 105 homes' worth of traffic and the absence of any wider contribution to Kirkcaldy's budgets have been swept aside, and the plans are recommended for approval.

Reid concludes: "The proposal is compatible with the area in terms of land use, design and scale and will not cause any detrimental impact to the amenity of the surrounding area, and is therefore considered to be acceptable."

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