New housing estate unveiled for former Forbo Nairn land in Kirkcaldy

A housing developer's plan to build 105 homes in an area meant for 100 without affordable homes or a contribution to the local area may succeed thanks to a technicality in Fife planning policy.
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Miller Homes based in Edinburgh, has proposed building units on land to the south of Calender Avenue and east of Victoria Hospital that was once associated with Forbo Nairn, the linoleum company.

It proposes a "high quality" mix of three, four and five-bed family homes as detached and semi-detached homes, as well as a "small number" of three-bed terraces to "transform an area of dereliction" into an "attractive environment".

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However, the plan does not align with a number of Fife Council's policies on new housing development - because of a detail around the type of land being built on.

Miller Homes plans a development of 105 houses on land to the south of Calender Avenue and east of Victoria Hospital that was once associated with Forbo Nairn, the linoleum company.Miller Homes plans a development of 105 houses on land to the south of Calender Avenue and east of Victoria Hospital that was once associated with Forbo Nairn, the linoleum company.
Miller Homes plans a development of 105 houses on land to the south of Calender Avenue and east of Victoria Hospital that was once associated with Forbo Nairn, the linoleum company.

Miller believes it does not owe the council any affordable housing or payments towards education, transport, play areas or public art because the land is vacant industrial space, which may be exempt under local planning policy.

This has been supported by Fife Council planning officers in closed-door discussions held before the application was submitted.

The plan also proposes five more homes than Fife Council deem appropriate - and Miller acknowledges that the homes, if approved, would be located within a predominantly industrial area, including Forbo's still-ongoing linoleum production to the south and the Fife Council scrap yard and recycling centre to the east.

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"Overall, the proposed development will achieve a sense of place for the location helping to create an attractive residential environment within a self-contained, welcoming, safe and pleasant environment," Miller says in a statement included with its planning application.

Technical drawings show a suggested square layout, with a small open green space to the south, and a combination of communal parking, driveways and garages.

A walking and cycling path is included that links to the southern edge of the site, and the developer insists the cul-de-sac connection to Hayfield Road can cope with the additional traffic.

As a major application, the plans will be considered by the Central and West planning committee at a later date.

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The information in this story came from a public notice published in this newspaper. You can read more public notices in our classified section today.

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