Community to Learn More about Middlebank Development

A renowned housebuilder is offering the local community the chance to learn more about a proposed development in Dunfermline and provide vital feedback to help shape the plans.

CALA Homes (East) will set out its intentions for a development of up to 300, high-quality homes at Middlebank during a public exhibition.

The project has already received the backing of the Scottish SPCA, which owns part of the land that would be purchased following planning approval and which would generate a major financial boost for the charity.

Planning Manager for CALA Homes (East), Rod Howat, said: “We look forward to meeting with as many interested local people as possible and for the chance to share our initial proposals.

“The process of designing and seeking approval for a development of this nature is a long process and we are still in the early stages.

“The exhibition provides an excellent opportunity for local people to offer their views and feedback, which helps in fine-tuning the proposals, which is an essential part of the due planning process.”

CALA hopes to create a new community of much-needed family homes on the site, which takes in a non-viable agricultural unit, grazing land and the Scottish SPCA’s former Middlebank Wildlife Centre.

The two agricultural landowners have also backed the plans, which would allow them to dramatically improve their Fife operations.

Both landowners involved say the location, so close to the town and hemmed in by the M90 motorway means it is increasingly inappropriate for modern farming. Both families plan to move on to other, more suitable agricultural enterprises in Fife, so reinvestment will be locally based.

CALA is highlighting support for its plans, which it hopes to see included in Fife Council’s Local Development Plan. The firm says as well as financially benefitting the Scottish SPCA, the development would bring a range of other benefits to the area.

The development would include houses of all sizes, with a focus on quality family homes. A quarter of the homes would be affordable housing and the development would also include significant areas of public open spaces and amenity planting.

As well as being close to local and wider transport links, including the M90 motorway, Forth bridges and Inverkeithing rail station, the Middlebank site would also be ideally placed to serve adjoining employment areas earmarked by Fife Council.

The public exhibition will take place from 2-8pm on Friday, February 5 at Duloch Community Centre in Dunfermline.