Developer plans to demolish dilapidated buildings in Fife town to create care flats for elderly

Dundee based developer from GMC Ventures Ltd wants to demolish a pair of unlisted, dilapidated buildings along Boat Road and build a care village with the accommodation. It has submitted a planning application to Fife Council.

In a supporting statement, it said: “The proposed building provides an opportunity to improve this difficult and derelict site in the heart of Newport.”

According to the developer, the site at 4-8 Boat Road has been “very difficult to develop” and lain empty for more than 40 years. It has been home to a variety of things over the decades: a mill, a community hall, a post office, and a shop. It is now said to be derelict - although a pair of two-storey buildings remain, these are supposedly “beyond economical repair.”

“No commercial developer will consider the site, and it would continue to remain vacant and derelict,” a planning statement said. “A repair of the existing buildings will be very expensive, and the area of accommodation created is so small that the return on investment would be negligible.”

In a separate planning application, GMC Ventures wants to demolish the two buildings to make way for the care home facility. If both applications are approved, they would create 23 extra care flats over three floors.

Appearance-wise, the proposed development would be “reminiscent of the previously existing buildings” and blend in with Newport-on-Tay’s surrounding conservation area. On the ground floor, the care home would include four one and two bed accessible flats and the warden’s office. The first, second and third floors would have a variety of one-two bed amenity flats.

“Extra care housing is the best use for the site,” developer’s said. “It will allow the creation of a relatively large number of much needed 1 and 2-bedroom flats, spreading the high site development costs over a relatively large number of units.”

The developer highlighted that the flats would also be within easy walking distance of local shops and amenities, and emphasised that the residents would have “low levels of car ownership”. This would help to by-pass one of the site’s suitable parking challenges.

“The proposal is supported by Fife Council’s housing team and will provide urgently needed extra care housing for elderly residents in the heart of Newport in an attractive setting,” a planning statement said.

“[It] presents an opportunity to restore the lost spatial quality of Boat Road, improve the appearance of the conservation area and will regenerate and revitalise this neglected and derelict area of Newport.”

Fife Council’s affordable housing team told developers that there is “demand in the local area for older person affordable rented accommodation”.

“[The affordable housing team said] that the proposed development addresses older person housing needs in this location, providing additional support to older people from a safety, care and independent living point of view,” the supporting statement continued.

Fife Council will consider the application in due course.