IT TOOK six years to persuade a housing developer to install a children’s playpark in one of its new estates.
Now the equipment could be ripped out due to an ongoing wrangle over its maintenance.
Youngsters do not play on the swings and slide at Kilmux Park in Kennoway, and the area has become something of an eyesore.
One councillor described the park as “a midden” and said fed-up families had had enough.
The park was finally installed by Lomond Homes around three years ago many years after the last home was built.
Its creation was included in the planning permission granted for the estate and the time it took to be delivered was a matter of some consternation locally.
However, it is believed no agreement was ever secured for the playpark’s maintenance and, despite efforts by residents to maintain it themselves, it has just been left to decay.
Fife Council has said talks over its future are set to resume in the new year but one option being looked at is replacing the broken play equipment with seating.
Councillor David Alexander told The Courier: “It took six years to get this play equipment put in. It was eventually put in but it never, ever met the standards required by Fife Council so the council didn’t adopt it.”
He added: “It looks as though the planning permission did not have any requirement for maintenance so we are now left with an eyesore sitting in the middle of a housing estate.
“The council won’t touch it because it has not been adopted and the land is still owned by Lomond Homes.
“Things are ongoing to resolve it though, and I’m sure there’s something we can do but at the moment there is this impasse.”
Councillor Tom Adams, chairman of the council’s Levenmouth area committee, branded the situation ridiculous.
“It’s a total midden. The grass is all overgrown and the kids can’t play there,” he said. “Residents are up in arms with all the mess because it’s a lovely housing estate.
“They’ve tried to cut the grass themselves but it’s too big a job and there’s nowhere to put the cuttings. I’ve written to development services asking what’s going on.”
Mr Adams said the cash-strapped council feared that if it agreed to maintain the Kilmux Park equipment, it would be hit by similar requests from other areas.
He said: “They’re now looking at it with a view to either taking it away and making it a seating area or doing it up. One way or another, we have to resolve it.”
He added: “Residents bought their houses in good faith but neither the council nor Lomond Homes are accepting responsibility.”
Levenmouth area services manager Dave Paterson said the council realised how concerned local people were about the playpark and said the issue would be looked at again soon.
“It’s important to point out that the council does not believe it has an obligation to maintain the play park,” he said.
“There is no agreement in place with the developer, or payment of a commuted sum, which would be the normal approach to engage the council.”
cwarrender@thecourier.co.uk