One of Kirkcaldy’s most historic buildings is to be demolished, it has been confirmed.
The Victoria Power Station is to be razed to make way for a nursing home, after councillors agreed that the building could not be salvaged for modern-day use.
The B-listed building has been in a state of decay for years and despite calls to spare it from the wrecking ball, members of Fife Council’s central area planning committee agreed that its presence was holding up the regeneration of the so-called Victoria Road Corridor.
It is thought that the new nursing home could create around 60 jobs.
Councillor Neil Crooks, who is chairman of the Kirkcaldy area committee, backed the demolition plans.
He said: “The building was last used when trams were running and they stopped in 1932.
“It would be lovely, in an ideal world, to maintain this building but Victoria Road is Murder Mile in Kirkcaldy and it has been derelict for 30-40 years.”
Fellow Kirkcaldy councillor George Kay also backed the redevelopment plans, adding: “I don’t think I’ve ever considered myself as somebody who would support knocking down buildings just for the sake of it, but this is falling apart.
“It is not just an eyesore it is an unsafe eyesore and something should be done about it.”
The B-listed building was designed for Kirkcaldy Corporation Tramways by architect William Williamson.
Opened in 1903, the facade on to Victoria Road was detailed in an Edwardian baroque style, commonplace at the time but now increasingly rare in the town.
Its preservation had been deemed important by council planning officers, despite the poor state of the rest of the structure.
The cost of bringing the building up to current standards is believed to stand at about £3 million, despite the value of any refurbished property said to be worth in the region of £350,000.
Councillors were advised to refuse the care home plans when they met last month, but postponed their decision until yesterday to allow for a site visit.
However, there is uncertainty as to whether the committee’s decision will have sealed the fate of the building, with Historic Scotland having a right to object to any proposal to demolish a listed building.
Three councillors backed the officers’ decision to refuse the plans, with John Beare stating: “I’ve not heard any other reason to support demolition other than the building is derelict.
“We have a duty to protect our building heritage. Very rarely have officers been as unequivocal as they have been here.”