£50,000 improvement plan for Leven’s ‘jewel in the crown’ Promenade

Levenmouth Area Committee members have agreed to invest up to £48,500 for a range of maintenance and refurbishment plans along the promenade over the next 18 months. The money will be drawn from a combination of Leven, Kennoway and Largo’s local community planning budget and the Community Renewal Fund.

The work is being carried out with Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, and the plans look at a range of improvement jobs along Leven’s coastline. It looks specifically at the grass area near the Leven Links Golf Course and heading north to the caravan park.

“The plans really look to take a holistic view of the Prom - which is one of the key things we’ll be pushing from a tourism perspective after the rail link reopens,” council officers said.

The work will include access improvements to recreational grass areas and the beach, the introduction of accessible picnic benches, and repairs to the brick wall from the skateboard park to the end of the Prom. There will also be work to support the development of sand dunes which will eventually strengthen coastal protection and improve conservation and biodiversity. Brick work flower beds along the seaside are also included in the programme.

“We’re all very keen to ensure that when the rail line opens in the springtime the Promenades is going to be a place that can be a venue for both residents and visitors. This investment is a very important part of that,” said committee convener Colin Davidson (Labour for Leven, Kennoway and Largo).

There is already a master plan design process in place relating to the longer-term redevelopment of the Promenade, but these interim works are aimed at addressing the immediate concerns about standards and maintenance in the area.

Cllr Davidson pointed out that most of the improvements in the interim plan don’t currently fall within the scope of the big-picture master planning exercise anyway.

“These improvements should make a noticeable difference to the Promenade and will complement any future proposals that come forward for the Prom following our recent consultation,” he said. “These will be quick wins from an environmental perspective, and we all want to see the most made out of what is one of the town’s biggest assets.”

Cllr Davidson said that Leven’s Promenade really needs to be something spectacular to benefit local residents and continue to bring visitors back again and again.

Councillor John O'Brien (SNP for Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss villages) added: “We’ve got to remember that the Promenade is a jewel in the crown - it’s what attracts people to Leven. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from, let’s just get it done.”

The work will be carried out by maintenance teams from Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, who have a partial responsibility for the Promenade area along with Fife Council Grounds Maintenance. A separate application to the Leven Common Good Fund to support further improvements is also in the pipeline.