Housing proposal approved

A MASSIVE housing development in Kirkcaldy has been given the seal of approval.

Around 1,200 houses and f l at s, a pri mary school, and retail units will go up on 104 hectares of land on the south-west edge of the town.

A 20-year masterplan for the site at Inverteil and Tyrie Farms, stretching from Kinghorn Road to Balwearie Golf Club, was approved by Fife Council’s central and west planning committee.

Commenting on t he number of homes, Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy Labour councillor Gordon Langlands said: “This would be about the size of Kinghorn.”

Almost 10 years have passed since the planning application was f i r st submitted by farm owners and house builder Cala, with a public consultation event held in 2009.

Updated reports on the potential environmental and transportation impact were submitted before Tuesday’s hearing.

Concerns were voiced about the impact of the development on health services as councillors debated t he planning application.

NHS Fife previously warned a number of GP practices in the Kirkcaldy area had full patient lists when it was consulted on wider development in Fife.

Kirkcaldy Central councillor Alistair Cameron, also Labour, asked how demand for services would be met.

Fife Council planner William Shand said an area of mixed use within the development could accommodate a health centre, but discussions would have to take place with NHS Fife.

Asked who would build it, he said: “It likely would be the NHS that would do that.”

EMPLOYEES at Travelodge on Strathmore Avenue raised the spirits of kids at Ninewells Hospital by donating more than 20 presents.

The team’s gifts included dolls, jigsaw puzzles and dressing up items, all of which were purchased and donated by the workers.

The hotel staff also managed to collect and donate more than 20 selection boxes which were donated to Ward 29.

The collection was organised by the hotel’s assistant manager Simon Redmond.

He said: “I’ve done this at previous places of

TODAY marks the 105th anniversary of Scottish comedian WF Frame’s trip to entertain troops on the front lines during the First World War.

The war saw thousands of Scottish troops travelling to the front. They were forced to live in horrible conditions, with constant fear of German attack. Days and nights were spent working and fighting, with little hope of any chance to have fun.

However, there was one opportunity for soldiers to lift their spirits in the form of live shows and entertainment.

Seymour Hicks, a famous actor and playwright of the 1900s, organised the first concert to go to France in December 1914.

Among the group was WF Frame, a Glaswegian comic and “joke editor” for The People’s Journal.

Frame wrote about his time overseas extensively in the DC Thomson publication, telling stories from the front and showing the lighter side of life in a dark time.

The joker was famous in his