Kirkcaldy eyesores: town's multi-storey carparks to be demolished - but not yet

Councillors have agreed to begin the process to tear down the under-used, ugly buildings after studying a report at this week’s area committee.

It will cost them a projected £2.4m, but open up a huge development site for housing and commercial opportunities - one that could expand to include the adjacent white elephant gap site created by the demolition of the old swimming pool some eight years ago.

As tentative timescale was given at the meeting, with the business case concluded this year, the project sent for financial approval in 2024, and demolition earmarked for 2025.

An updated market report told them the site would likely be of interest to local developers rather than national housebuilders, and demand for commercial units - envisaged below the flats overlooking the Forth - was said to be limited.

But councillors agreed, removing the eyesores was the right thing to do.

Councillor David Ross (Labour, Kirkcaldy North) said: “This is the right direction of travel. Over the years there has been significant community engagement and this is inline with it. They are unpopular car parks, and people want increased links between the High Street and the Esplanade.”

Councillor Rod Kavanagh (SNP, Kirkcaldy East) added: “Finally we have come to an agreed decision. The other great bonus is there will be tangible evidence to people in Kirkcaldy the council is actually doing something constructive. It bodes well for future of town.”

The Thistle Street car park is already closed, while the Esplanade remains open but poorly used, leading to issues of anti-social behaviour.

Talks are going on with the owners of the Mercat Shopping Centre - which bought the pool for £1 - to assess the potential of amalgamating the sites. The buildings - dubbed a “serious eyesore” by the report - have long been a scar on the landscape, and are seen by many as a barrier to fully developing the town’s waterfront.

In 2022, the average parking occupancy in the Esplanade multi-storey car park was around 13% and parking demand in Kirkcaldy town centre has not returned to pore-COVID levels.

The town’s car and lorry parking account is currently operating at a deficit, anticipated to be in the region of £440,000 to £500,000 following a “significant decline” in parking occupancy and revenue.

A £2 all day parking trial launched in January 2022 ran for six months. Just over 3000 visitors paid to park in the Thistle Street car park during that time - an average of 17 per day - which was a marginal increase.

But, overall, long-stay parking demand in the town centre did not rise, nor did town centre parking demand in general with a a migration from other long-stay car parks to the Thistle Street multi-storey car park to take advantage of the cheaper rates.

Councillor Lesley Backhouse (SNP), Burntisland, Kinghorn, western Kirkcaldy) alerted the committee to the fact that the Thistle Street closure meant two electric vehicle charging points were now out of use.

Officers said they were looking for an alternative location in the town centre.