Ambitious proposal to transform waterfront to be unveiled today

Proposals which could pave the way for a transformation of Kirkcaldy’s waterfront are to be unveiled today.

Four options that could see wholesale changes to the town’s Esplanade will be displayed to members of town centre BID group Kirkcaldy 4 All.

Bill Harvey, manager of the organisation, said: “We’ll be having these consultations to let local businesses make their comments, then we’ll hand them over to Fife Council.

“The options vary, ranging from nothing but parking to limited parking with other facilities.

“We want more people coming through Kirkcaldy town centre. We want more leisure and café culture.

“This is a major investment in the waterfront and we want to make it a place that benefits traders, residents and visitors to Kirkcaldy.”

The move comes after Kirkcaldy’s leading councillor, Neil Crooks, revealed in September that a major renovation of the Esplanade could be completed as early as the end of next year.

Councillors have long harboured ambitions to create better ties between the waterfront and the town centre.

The Esplanade has been seen as the main obstacle to this happening but traffic surveys conducted by the council’s transportation department have concluded that a single carriageway in each direction would be able to sustain the expected volume of traffic.

The plan is part of a package of exciting projects designed to breathe new life into the town, including proposals to open the Kings Theatre at the former ABC cinema and hopes of a new cinema on the site of the former swimming pool.