Mystery surrounds the fate of Dunfermline’s historic Pilmuir Works.
“Why is the community’s concern over the fate of those iconic, derelict buildings in the heart of Dunfermline still being met with silence?” asked Ian Ferguson, SNP councillor for Dunfermline North.
Mr Ferguson is a part of the Friends of Pilmuir Works group, a community-led group which came together last year to rescue and restore the significant Grade-A listed former linen mill which it said “has become such a sad symbol of Dunfermline’s decay”.
The site, latterly a Duracord factory, has been lying empty and deteriorating for many years.
“Six weeks have passed since Shepherd, the agents handling the sale of the buildings on behalf of the administrators, announced that a buyer had been found,” he said.
“Since then, no information has been forthcoming on the identity of the new owner, nor is the community any the wiser about plans the new owners might have for a development that would help to reinvigorate the town.”
The group said this silence was of concern to the many people who packed a meeting in the Carnegie Centre last December to press for progress over this derelict town centre site.
Support for a viable future for Pilmuir Works, as a community-led initiative, has also been demonstrated by more than 600 Dunfermline residents who signed a petition organised by the Friends of Pilmuir Works.
Following its most recent meeting, the Friends of Pilmuir now invite the new owners to engage meaningfully with the community.
“The Friends have gathered many ideas from our community and are keen to have an active dialogue with the new owners, with a view towards a mutually beneficial outcome,” Mr Ferguson said.
“While still pursuing a solution to the Pilmuir Works site, Friends of Pilmuir Works have also decided to widen their approach to tackling the issue of blight across Dunfermline, looking at community-driven and community-led solutions. “
To that end, the group is going to be reconstituted as Friends of Dunfermline.
