The company behind controversial housing plans for a development on the outskirts of Inverkeithing was left “disappointed” by the dismissal of a planning appeal.
A Scottish Government reporter dismissed Taylor Wimpey’s appeal into Fife Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the Spencerfield site.
Many in the community feared if the sprawling 450-home site was given the green light it would effectively mean the merger of the individual towns of Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay.
Andrew Roberts, the strategic land manager for the housebuilding giants, said: “We received the appeal decision for Spencerfield in Inverkeithing on Friday of last week and we are naturally disappointed with the reporter’s findings.
“Given the timescales involved, we are still in the process of taking advice on the reporter’s decision.”
The plans for a major housing development on farmland have stirred controversy since they were first mooted two years ago.
Fife Council was inundated with hundreds of letters and emails opposing the scheme which lies to the south of the A921.
Dalgety Bay and Hillend Community Council objected, saying it was contrary to the then Dunfermline and West Fife local plan and that if it went ahead, Letham Hill Wood would be all that separated the two west Fife communities.
Others said the greenbelt land was important and pointed out there were other brownfield sites which could cater for housing needs.
The site is bounded on one side by the B-listed Spencerfield House and on the other by Inverkeithing High School.
The housebuilder, which had lodged an application for planning permission in principle, said it was the only viable option for the expansion of Inverkeithing.
As part of the proposal, the company offered a substantial sum of planning gain money to kick-start the regeneration of Inverkeithing’s Fraser Avenue.
A year ago the west Fife planning committee backed the local authority’s planning officers who recommended the plan be refused as the development of the site was not supported in the adopted local plan and was considered to be significantly contrary to the development plan.
They considered the application was premature and argued that approving the scheme would prejudice the ability of the council to undertake a full assessment of all the potential local sites for housing.