The latest proposal for Kirkcaldy’s beleaguered former Station Hotel has come up against more objections.
Businessman Robert Kilgour plans to demolish the century-old building and build a cinema at the site.
It has been a decade since the town’s last cinema closed. However, Kirkcaldy Civic Society has objected, stating the facade of the building should be retained.
In addition, the society’s chairwoman Ann Watters has made an individual objection.
She said, “The bare cinema as shown in the plans in no way fits into the conservation area and approach to Kirkcaldy town centre.”
Mr Kilgour has come up with a number of proposals for the property, which was latterly a care home before it was boarded up in 2007.
Plans lodged in 2008 for part demolition to make way for a 12-storey block of flats were later discarded, having been described by Kirkcaldy West Community Council as “almost indecent.”
A later, scaled-down design failed to win the approval of Kirkcaldy Civic Society and the Scottish Civic Trust, despite Mr Kilgour’s intention to retain the existing facade.
In November 2009 the building appeared to have a future when councillors backed a proposal for Kingdom Homes to have it modernised and turned back into a care home.
However, the plans fell through when Kingdom Homes decided against expanding the business as a result of the recession.
Last year Mr Kilgour stated it would cost £250,000 to renovate the old building, making it more feasible to raze it to the ground and start again. He appealed to the Scottish Government to have it knocked down but the bid was unsuccessful.
In February this year Mr Kilgour he said he was in a “Catch 22” situation because he needed confirmation that a cinema operator was interested before Fife Council would let him demolish the building.
“On the other hand cinema operators won’t commit until I have demolition permission,” he added.