A controversial plan to turn a former convenience store in Kirkcaldy into a pub could be given the green light next week, it has emerged.
Locals living in and around Pentland Place have expressed concerns about Eros Limited’s change of use application to give the old Co-op retail unit a new lease of life, citing the potential for anti-social behaviour as the main reason why it should be knocked back.
However, The Courier has learned that council planners feel the development should get the go ahead, with members of the central area planning committee being asked to rubber-stamp the move when they meet on Monday.
Case officer Scott Simpson confirmed that the plans have been recommended for conditional approval despite six letters of objection being received by the local authority.
“The proposed development would have no further detrimental impact on the privacy levels of the surrounding area as it would be located within a building, which previously operated as a retail unit, with no existing/proposed windows at the rear or side the building and the site is also bound by an approximately 1.8 metre high timber fence and two metre high brick wall on the south and east boundaries,” he said.
“It is, therefore, considered that the proposed use within this row of existing commercial uses would be an acceptable complementary use which would have no further detrimental impact on the amenity of the surrounding area.”
The proposal will see the retail unit turned into a public house and a new fire escape door installed to the rear, while it will also feature a bar seating area and nine customer parking spaces located within the existing car park to the rear of the building.
The applicants have suggested the pub will be open from 10am to midnight, seven days a week, but the prospect has been met with some resistance from local people.
Objectors say the development – which is situated in a fairly built-up residential area – will affect property values and could lead to noise, violence, property damage, littering and anti-social behaviour.
They argue that there is no need for a pub locally, given ones at nearby Dunearn Drive and Bennochy Road, and also fear a detrimental impact on parking.
Despite that, a report to councillors has stressed that those issues are not material planning considerations and would fall under a different remit.
“Should such issues arise then they would be dealt with by these other relevant authorities, ie the police, Fife Council’s environmental health public protection teams, Fife Council’s licensing board,” the report adds.
“The proposal would also have no significant further detrimental impact in terms of littering as the previous use of the proposal was a retail unit and it is considered that the proposed use as a public house would be no more onerous than this previous use with regards to littering and there are public bin facilities located approximately 30 metres to the west of the proposed development.
“Fife Council as planning authority also cannot control the behaviour of individuals with regards to littering and this issue, should it arise, could also be dealt with by other Services such as Fife Council’s environmental health public protection team.”
