More time granted for major housing expansion

Developers behind ambitious plans for a major residential and commercial development at a Glenrothes industrial estate have been given more time to draw up a detailed planning application.

Members of Fife’s central area planning committee agreed to grant Saving Stream a three-year extension to its proposals to transform the Whitehill Industrial Estate after planning permission in principle was granted in 2012.

Around 220 new homes are envisioned for the site, which covers around 25 hectares of land currently in industrial use, while there are also plans for a care home and a pub.

Planning permission in principle was also granted back in 2012 for a construction of a roundabout and access roads associated with the development, and that consent was similarly extended by councillors yesterday.

The application site mainly covers the northern part of the industrial estate but also extends into the southern part.

Case officer Natasha Cockburn told councillors that the time extension was required after the original applicants entered into administration before they were able to make any significant progress with the development.

“The interest then passed to a different party who have sought to put in place the required agreements with neighbouring land owners in order to implement the planning permission,” she added.

“This has been unsuccessful due to disparate ownership of neighbouring land, difficulty in finalising details of applications for matters specified in conditions and the ability of the developer to raise the necessary funding.”