Assurances over £500m Kirkcaldy housing plan

KINGDOM PARK: Developers insist project will ‘come to fruition’ despite setbacks

A £500 million project that will transform the north east of Kirkcaldy will go ahead, developers have insisted.

Lack of action on site in recent years had prompted concerns that the Kingdom Park development, which promised more than 1,000 new homes, a primary school, shops and a community centre, might never come to pass.

But those behind the ambitious blueprint have told The Courier that their vision for the site will come to fruition, and the suggestion work should start on site by the end of the year has been warmly welcomed.

However, there are less positive indications about a development in the south west of the town as plans for more than 1,000 homes at Invertiel stall over the creation of a new school.

Assurances have been given that a £500 million project which promised to transform the north east of Kirkcaldy will go ahead, despite no work taking place on site for years.

Fears the Kingdom Park development, in a prime location off the A92 in central Fife, might never come to pass have been growing in recent months due to an apparent lack of activity since planning consent was obtained.

Those behind the ambitious blueprint insist they remain committed to their vision for the new village of Kingslaw and that the massive plan will come to fruition over the coming years.

The new neighbourhoods should boast more than 1,000 new homes, a primary school, shops and a community centre, with improvements to the road network to resolve congestion.

Jestyn Davies from Murray Estates, the property development and investment company spearheading the plans, said patience was required.

“We are trying to draw together the final infrastructure package which will need to go in before the housebuilders start on site,” he told The Courier.

“But we still have plenty of housebuilder interest with contracted land sales for a number of parcels of land.”

Planning permission was first granted for the Kingdom Park development five years ago and a subsequent legal agreement was completed in 2014.

According to the proposals, 273 affordable homes will be built in the first phase, with a further 817 private housing units built in subsequent stages.

Councillor Neil Crooks, who chairs Fife Council’s Kirkcaldy area committee, said he had recently received an update on strategic development land allocations in the town and could not go into too much detail due to commercial confidentiality.

But he too revealed the development at the Boreland had been close to a start date on a few occasions now and was heartened by the latest news.

“It is anticipated the housebuilding programme will get under way this year,” he said.

However, The Courier understands that council officers are not assured about movement in the south west of the town, specifically plans for the Invertiel and Tyrie Farm area.

Cala Homes has been the preferred developer for a number of years, and there had been an expected start date of 2012 for more than 1,000 homes on that site.

However, there has been a lack of action there as well and it is understood the sticking point remains the early construction of a new primary school which was part of planning conditions.

We still have plenty of housebuilder interest with contracted land sales for a number of parcels of land. JESTYN DAVIES

Picture: Kim Cessford. Fears the Kingdom Park development might never come to pass have been growing in recent months.