Plans to partially demolish 'fire-ravaged' Dunfermline city centre buildings

Major development plans are on the horizon for Dunfermline’s former Fife Council local office building on Walmer Drive.

Byzantian Developments Ltd wants to partially demolish most of the existing fire-ravaged buildings on site to create a new residential development of 37 apartments with associated landscaping and parking.

In a planning statement, developers said the demolition was “regrettable”, but necessary after a fire from July 2023 left it dilapidated and damaged beyond repair.

“Formerly home to the Fife Council Housing Service, the site has lain empty for many years with the existing buildings now in a state of disrepair,” developers said.

The property has also suffered from serious vandalism over several years of non-occupation, including fire damage and subsequent water ingress – leaving it “structurally unsound and beyond adaptive repair”.

“This fresh application therefore brings forward proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the derelict existing site to form new town centre homes in the heart of the Auld Grey Toun, bringing people and activity and life back to the heart of the community,” the planning statement continued.

If the plans are approved, Byzantian Developments Ltd would build a “cluster of bronzeclad pavilions” on the site to “animate the city skyline”.

Although the majority of the building was completely lost in the last fire, developers are planning to incorporate what remains into the new open-air entry courtyard

“Despite the loss of parts of the existing buildings, in a wider sense, the proposal to redevelop the site, located in the heart of an existing community, is an essentially sustainable approach to the delivery of much needed new city centre homes,” developers said.

“The creation of new homes will also reintroduce much needed life back into the historic town, proposing a development at a density that can help to support community facilities and the use of local transport, and bring economic activity to existing local amenities.”

The development would create 11 one bedroom apartments and 26 two bedroom apartments in total.

Fife Council will consider the application and make a decision in due course.