900-home Kelty plan approved, but work can’t start yet.

KELTY: Primary school places dictate when building work can begin

A major housing development has been approved for Kelty but no work can start for three years.

Councillors on the west planning committee agreed to press ahead with plans for 900 new homes, a primary school, cycle path, landscaping and employment land at the south western edge of the town.

Because Kelty Primary School is over capacity, not one brick can be laid until more places become available at the school, predicted to be in 2021.

The new primary school included as part of the development would be delivered in 2026.

Council planner William Shand said: “After 200 units they will be providing a primary school, which is very early in the development. Primary schools are not cheap.”

The site is earmarked for development under the FIFEplan and forms part of the Ore Valley Strategic Development Area (SDA).

Councillors approved planning permission in principle for a 25-year period. Large SDA sites are usually subject to a 20-year permission, but an extension was added to take into account the time lag relating to lack of primary school places.

Approval was given subject to a legal agreement requiring the developers to make a £11.27 million contribution towards the new school.

There is also land included for a health centre and the developers have offered up to £100,000 towards it.

However, this is not part of any planning obligation.

Concerns were raised about the phasing of the development by SNP councillor Alistair Bain.

The site sits to the east of the M90, with Cocklaw Street to the north and Oakfield Street to the east.

First to be developed would be the zone to the north-west of the site, which would include employment land and the school.

The south-east corner of the site would be developed next.

Mr Bain said: “Kids in phase two will have to walk through a building site to get to school.”

The report to the committee stated a safe route would be required in the interim for children walking from phase two to the new school.

The site is littered with mine workings – a legacy of the area’s coal mining past.

“Dealing with the land contamination and coal mining legacy will be a significant consideration for future detailed applications, however sufficient information has been submitted with this application to conclude this can be sufficiently dealt with,” said the report.

Allan Miller, development director for I and H Brown, said: “We definitely welcome the committee’s decision and look forward to getting on with it and making the development happen.”

Kids in phase two will have to walk through a building site to get to school. ALISTAIR BAIN

Councillors agreed to press ahead with plans for 900 new homes, a primary school, cycle path, landscaping and employment land at the south western edge of the town.