Renovation plans unveiled for buildings in thriving Fife nursery garden

Rural Skills Scotland Ltd has submitted a full planning permission and listed building consent to renovate the existing garden buildings within Ravenscraig Nursery Gardens

The walled garden on Dysart Road is described by Greener Kirkcaldy as “a thriving community asset” with individual allotments and plots for community groups. It also has an established community orchard.

Greener Kirkcaldy also operates a training garden at Ravenscraig, offering courses, training and volunteer opportunities in gardening and growing.

Now, the Rural Skills Scotland - a not-for-profit that provides high quality and professional training for the rural sector - is looking to upgrade three of the garden’s on site buildings if Fife Council approves its plans.

There are three buildings within the gardens and Rural Skills Scotland has proposed putting general power and lighting into all three. Asbestos would be professionally removed while doors and windows from all three buildings would be renewed and renovated. Stonework and masonry would be repaired and rectified where necessary and the stonework on buildings two and three would be cleaned to remove stains, dirt and vegetation.

Building three would see the most serious renovation works. Rural Skills has proposed fitting the building out for staff facilities - including toilets, a canteen, an office and a training room. It would be heated with radiators and provided with hot water for basins and sinks. Meanwhile, building one and two would be repaired and renewed as workshop buildings.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.

The move comes a year after Kirkcaldy councillors agreed to sink £14,000 into the former house in the walled garden which is now an office and training base for Rural Skills Scotland. It has carried out major renovations to the long abandoned building, and the money was signed off to improve its security.

Initially set up in the Levenmouth area, RSS is a not-for-profit sharing company which has been operating in Fife for over seven years. It specialises in the delivery of SVQs and Modern Apprenticeships across the country in land-based subjects, such as trees and timber, estate maintenance and environmental conservation.