Fife’s coastal communities are “under siege” from cherry-picking developers, according to MSP Alex Rowley.
He has become so concerned about protecting the Forth-side communities that he has requested an urgent meeting with Scottish Government minister Alex Neil.
The Cowdenbeath MSP voiced his concerns that the strategic planning system was not being used to meet the housing needs across Fife, but was instead being used by developers to cherry-pick the sites most likely to maximise their profits.
In his own constituency there are a number of sites which developers and landowners have put forward for housing and inclusion in the local development plan.
Three are on the coast between Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, Dalgety Bay and Aberdour and Aberdour and Burntisland.
“Despite the fact they have been rejected for development, developers are proceeding with applications for the sites and are arguing that there is not enough housing land supply,” said Mr Rowley.
“They are likely to take these to appeal on that basis if the council refuse, which, of course they should do, given the applications are premature to the draft local development plan and will be significantly contrary to the plan.”
Meanwhile, he said there is an abundance of approved housing land being ignored by developers targeting more lucrative sites.
Recently, plans to build on a buffer zone between Dalgety Bay and Braefoot Bay oil terminal came under fire from locals.
And it’s believed the controversial Spencerfield site, which would combine Dalgety Bay and Inverkeithing, is again on the table, despite an appeal against Fife Council’s rejection of the scheme being thrown out by a Scottish Government Reporter.
Mr Rowley said communities are feeling overwhelmed and under siege by developers who “seem to want to use every means possible to circumvent the system and argue that the housing land supply is not being met”.
If they succeed it would mean the loss of each town and village having a proud and distinct identity.
“Rather than having the towns of Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay and the village of Aberdour, we will end up with the Fife coastal housing strip,” said Mr Rowley.
“To allow the development of this whole coastal strip along the Forth for housing would, in my view, be a tragedy.
“I, for one, am not prepared to sit back and allow this to happen by default.”