Five Fife projects land cash boost from £10m fund

Councillors on the Levenmouth area committee backed recommendations worth more than £1.6m to the worthy recipients on Wednesday, while more than £42,000 will also be distributed to a range of other groups following successful bids to the small grant scheme.

The biggest beneficiary will be the Levenmouth Business Park project, which has been awarded £714,253 towards the creation of what will be seven new modern and attractive business units created within 1.3km of the proposed Cameron Bridge rail station.

Around £1.8m has previously been secured towards the provision of five units, but the extra cash will increase that to seven – supporting the creation of up to 14 jobs – and will see the development built to a higher specification.

Plans to renovate and restore the historic flax mill in Silverburn Park will receive £500,000 from the fund, supporting Fife Employment Access Trust’s wider £8.5m project to turn the site into a dynamic visitor centre.

More than £200,000 has been earmarked for the Community Trade Hub’s Positive Futures project, which works with others to improve young people’s skills and chances of employment, reduce anti-social behaviour, and increase job opportunities locally.

And over £180,000 will go to CLEAR Buckhaven and Methil’s Buckhaven Green Network Enhancement initiative, which will see planting and environmental improvements along key corridors in Methil and Buckhaven linking to the River Leven, while plans for a state-of-the-art pump track in Kennoway will also receive a recommended grant of almost £45,000.

Committee convener Councillor Ken Caldwell was delighted to see the first successful projects awarded their grants.

“It’s really exciting to see this funding starting to kick-off and money being spent,” he said.

“We’re getting good value from these grants because there’s a good deal of match funding coming from other sources and I think these projects will make a big difference to Levenmouth.”

The fund was set up to maximise the economic and social opportunities presented by the reintroduction of the Leven rail link, the regeneration of the River Leven and its proposed path network, investments in renewable energy and several other initiatives.

Half of the cash has come from Fife Council, which is managing the fund, while the other £5 million has been allocated from the Scottish Government.

Large grant applications – those seeking over £5000 up to a maximum of £5 million – are assessed by a working group and put forward for councillor backing.

Meanwhile, a total of £41,700 has been divvied up between 10 other applications as part of the fund’s small grant scheme.

Filshill Limited will get £12,000 for shop front improvements, the Methilhill Community Children’s Initiative is to receive £11,440 towards the cost of a gardener, and Fife Council will receive £10,000 towards a Levenmouth-wide tourism audit.

Expressions of interest are now being invited from interested parties for the second round of funding by the end of this month, ahead of a final deadline for applications on May 30.

All applications are assessed by a working group panel with a recommendation made to an oversight group for approval and progression to the Levenmouth area committee for the final decision.