New homes set to be built at former Fife high school site
Plans to create 19 new homes on the site of a former Fife school are set to progress after planning consent was granted.
Permission for the development on the former Waid Academy land in Anstruther was previously given in 2023, however a fresh application had to be submitted after this lapsed.
Waverly Tweed Anstruther Ltd had applied for permission to convert the historic school and former schoolmaster’s house into 10 homes, alongside nine new townhouses in the grounds.
A report by Fife Council planners said the new application was an “identical resubmission” of the earlier scheme.
It continued: “The site comprises part of the former Waid Academy secondary school which closed in 2017 and relocated to a site further east of the application site.
“The resubmitted proposal is again considered acceptable in meeting the terms of the Local Development Plan, National Guidelines and relevant Council Supplementary Planning and Planning Customer Guidelines.
“The proposal is still considered acceptable in land use terms, would respect the scale, massing and design of local buildings, would still use traditional architectural features and external finishes even with the amendments proposed and would protect local amenity.
“Further to this, the proposal would also result in a key listed structure with limited alternative land uses being renovated and retained and any new enabling development set back to protect the overall setting of that built heritage asset and the wider street scene and adjacent conservation area.”
Approving the application, the planning report added: “Overall, the proposal is considered to result in positive overall benefits to the site and wider environment provided the recommended conditions are included.”