Fife Council approves plans for 39 new homes near Dunfermline with half for over 55s

Fife Council has approved plans for 39 affordable homes in the town of Saline near Dunfermline.

However, 24 out of the 39 homes must be restricted to “persons aged 55 and over in the interest of protecting education capacity.”

The new development will sit adjacent to Saline’s Main Street car park on green land south of West Road.

The entire town is just six miles northwest of Dunfermline, and the land was promoted for residential development.

“The brief is to create an attractive, inclusive and well-connected development, to consist of 40 affordable dwellings, one of which will serve as a community hub,” a design statement from Stanley Brash Construction Ltd said.

“The development will include 15 two-storey affordable family houses as well as 24 bungalows for older persons.

“Four of the bungalows will be designed to accommodate the additional needs of wheelchair users.”

It is understood that Fife Council will purchase all of the homes for the purpose of providing social rented housing.

“Fife Council’s affordable housing team has noted that there is a high need for affordable housing within Saline and that this application would partly meet the identified needs,” council reports said.

Planning officers said concerns were raised in objection comments about the impact the development would have on the capacity of the local primary school.

The development falls within the catchment area of Saline Primary School, St Margaret’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Queen Anne High School, and St Columba’s Roman Catholic High School.

However, “no critical capacity education risks were identified within any of the schools” as a result of the development’s 15 eligible properties.

The council said the development poses “no significant concerns” in regard to road safety, flooding impact, and residential amenity.

A transport assessment said the development will have a “minimal impact” on the existing road network.
The development was approved last week and works will commence in due course.