Farmfoods gets green light to demolish Kirkcaldy linen works for new store

A former linen factory in Kirkcaldy - the last one in Scotland - is to be demolished to make way for a new Farmfoods istore after West Central planning councillors approved plans on Wednesday.
By Danyel VanReenen, Local Democracy Reporting Service
Published 12th Apr 2023, 15:44 GMT
Updated 13th Apr 2023, 08:11 GMT
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The frozen food supermarket now has the go ahead to tear down the former Victoria Linen Works site and transform it into a new 1,153 square metre retail space.

The linen works closed its doors in April 2021. The Kirkcaldy based company had been in operation since 1825, and most recently employed around 20 people.

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The company had been part of Fife’s industrial heritage based on coal and textiles which peaked in the 19th century. It was once one of 15 mills in Kirkcaldy alone.

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The retailer will replace the long-standing linen mill in KirkcaldyThe retailer will replace the long-standing linen mill in Kirkcaldy
The retailer will replace the long-standing linen mill in Kirkcaldy

“While the former Linen Works building provides a visual link to Kirkcaldy’s history and is a distinctive feature within our local townscape, it’s not a listed building and it’s not in a conservation area,” a planning officer said in a report.

“Farmfoods maintains that the current building cannot be retained or reused because it is in poor structural condition.”

Although councillors did impose an additional waste management condition on the development, the supermarket proposal was passed without further discussion or debate.

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The new national retailer will “enhance the range of choice” for residents, and the company has said the development could create up to 20 jobs.

There is an Aldi supermarket across the road from the proposed site. However, planning papers maintain that there will be minimal impact on the town centre and other retail areas such as St Clair Street and Templehall.

A statement from the company noted: “A full retail impact assessment has been undertaken and this demonstrates that the proposal will not have a significant adverse impact on the vitality or viability of Kirkcaldy town centre or any other related locations within Kirkcaldy or elsewhere.

“The development would also assist in meeting an identified qualitative retail deficiency providing an improvement on the range of convenience goods shopping for the benefit of local residents.”

Farmfoods has shops in Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Leven. Demolition and subsequent works will take place in due course.

Related topics:KirkcaldyScotlandFifeDunfermlineGlenrothesAldi