The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Health board confirms offer has been made for former hospital
New housing likely to be built on site of Forth Park Hospital complex
A former maternity hospital in Fife could be given a new lease of life after it emerged the site is about to be sold.
The Courier has learned the Forth Park Hospital complex is currently under offer, having been on the market for several years.
The property has been vacant since work to clear the buildings of all medical and office equipment after it closed in January 2012, and various attempts to do something with the existing buildings – including the B-listed mansion house building and separate B-listed stable block – have come and gone. The creation of housing is now likely.
Andrew Fairgrieve, director of estates, facilities and capital development at NHS Fife, confirmed the former Forth Park Hospital site is under offer, but added: “We are unable to disclose any further details at this stage.”
NHS Fife has also remained tight-lipped on how much the mystery bidder is willing to pay for the site.
The hospital and its grounds were previously marketed with the benefit of conditional planning permission in principle for 69 homes, but that permission has now lapsed.
Architects were also asked to create a massing plan for the site in its entirety, which suggested around 84 residential units could be created, comprising a mix of terrace and detached housing.
Rory Ballantyne, a director with Ballantynes Surveyors and Estate Agents, which has marketed the site, said the hospital had been on the open market and went to a closing date at the end of last year.
When asked about any further details about the sale or any potential buyer, he could only confirm that his firm was “working through the legal process”.
Forth Park had supported women giving birth since 1932 but stopped admitting expectant mothers at noon on January 9 2012, when services officially switched to Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital and its state-of-the-art maternity unit.
Following a review by NHS Fife, the remaining grounds and buildings in Bennochy Road were declared surplus.
It had been suggested by heritage groups that the house and grounds had been donated to the town and the common good by Mrs R Wemyss Honeyman of Westdean, daughter of linoleum proprietor John Nairn who purchased the land.
However, further investigations were carried out and NHS Fife said there were no issues that would affect any planning application.
We are unable to disclose any further details at this stage. ANDREW FAIRGRIEVE NHS FIFE