A £180 MILLION development which could transform the northern side of Kirkcaldy could be given the green light.
Kingdom Park Ltd wants to create a whole new community, with almost 1,100 houses, a primary school, hotel, care home and two supermarkets on the site of a former opencast mine at Kingslaw.
A petrol station, neighbourhood centre, parks and leisure facilities would also be provided in a scheme similar in scale to the huge Chapel development at the west of the town.
Fife’s planners have said the work, due to take place in five phases over the next 15 years, would be significant, with wide-ranging impacts on the infrastructure serving that part of Kirkcaldy.
If approved, two new access roads to the Randolph Road site would have to be created, as well as a new roundabout.
In addition, Redhouse roundabout – already the scene of bottlenecks at peak times – would have to be upgraded and the Gallatown roundabout improved.
A 50-page report on the ambitious proposal will go before a special meeting of Kirkcaldy area committee tomorrow, where councillors will be urged to approve it, subject to the conclusion of a legal agreement.
This would require Kingdom Park to contribute cash to build a new secondary school in the east of Kirkcaldy and make sure 15% of the homes built are affordable.
The company would also have to ensure the primary school applied for would not only serve the number of houses approved, but could accommodate more children if the site is extended in the future.
Although the Kirkcaldy committee has the power to approve the application, because it is seen as major it may be referred to the strategic planning committee for a decision.
Proposals for the site north of Boreland were first put forward back in 2003 and were tied in to a huge opencast coal development.
At that time, permssion was granted for a mixed use development, consisting of business, retail, food and drink, a hotel and leisure to be created once the coal was extracted and the land restored.
The first phase, to be known as Kingslaw Village, would take place between 2015 and 2019 and would include a 370 sqm supermarket, 20 shops, 227 houses and a care home.
Phase two – Meadow Neighbourhood – would see 257 houses, 15,000 sqm of open space and a play area.
The third phase – Burnside Neighbourhood – involves 110 houses, a hotel, a 1,500 sqm supermarket, three shops and a petrol station, leisure facilities and a park pavilion. This section is intended to take place between 2017 and 2022.
Phase four from 2018 to 2022, would be known as Lomond Park Neighbourhood, and would include 266 houses, a primary school, 10,000 sqm of sports pitches, open space and two community greens.
The fifth and final phase is intended to take place between 2021 and 2027 and would include 228 houses, two play areas and open space. It would be known as The Avenue Neighbourhood.
Seven letters of objection have been received, raising concerns about the potential for a piecemeal development and a lack of consultation with other landowners, plus worries about school places.
Those in support say it would be beneficial for the local economy as long as local businesses are involved in the construction.