The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Bulldozers move in to demolish Fife street
INVERKEITHING: Much-maligned Fraser Avenue is expected to be razed by December
Council officers are confident demolition work at Inverkeithing’s Fraser Avenue will be completed by December.
The latest phase in long-anticipated work to breathe new life into the beleaguered street has seen the bulldozers move in ready to bring the empty properties down.
Housing services’ senior manager Alan Russell told south-west Fife area committee members the team was waiting for other utilities servicing the vacant properties to be disconnected.
“We are assured that will be done within one-and-a-half weeks from today and demolition will start at that point,” he explained.
“The timetable for demolition is seven weeks, so we are on track to complete that before Christmas,” he added.
The demolition of the hard-to-let area and creation of a new community has led to other positives for the locality.
Councillors were given an update on the progress of the regeneration work that is taking place and highlights from April to September include neighbourhood partnership information events that combined a “memories of Fraser Avenue” project with a consultation on the new property floor plans.
Meanwhile employability and antipoverty sub groups have been proactive.
They have set up a gardening project in Fraser Avenue, which has seen eight participants prepare the ground for vegetables.
Cooking on a budget and fabric craft courses that have helped people build on their skills have been run.
A community connections sub-group is continuing to help build a strong community spirit, while a summer partnership attracted around 100 members of the community each day over the holidays.
Young volunteers from Inverkeithing High School have supported summer programmes both in the wing and in Ballast Bank. Tenders have now been submitted for new play equipment at Ballast Bank.
While phase one – the demolition of the first group of houses – is under way, all tenants in phase two of the scheme have now had a housing option interview and have started moving out.
Committee chairman Bobby Clelland said: “We’d all like to thank the volunteers and those involved in generating a sense of ownership and community spirit for the area.
“Demolition will be under way soon and people in the area will begin to see that things are moving forward.”
The council’s depute leader, Lesley Laird, added: “What should be recognised is all the good things happening.
“There is the regeneration of community engagement and activity and I think that is the biggest plus factor out of all of this.”
We’d all like to thank the volunteers and those involved in generating a sense of ownership and community spirit for the area. BOBBY CLELLAND CHAIRMAN