A campaign that has removed a prominent eyesore in a Fife town could be replicated elsewhere, a community leader has claimed.
David Taylor, the secretary of Cardenden Community Council, believes other towns and villages throughout the region could use people power to ensure derelict buildings are renovated for the greater good.
He was speaking at the opening of two shop units in the town built on the site of the toilet block on Main Street following fears that the building may have fallen into disrepair.
However, following a campaign to stop the prominent area from becoming an eyesore, Mr Taylor said the effort in Cardenden could be copied in other towns blighted by derelict buildings.
“The biggest concern we had about the toilet block was that it would just be left to rot when it was closed,” he said.
“The community had to convince Fife Council to allow us to transform it into something useful.
“It was then bought over, demolished and now we have two shop units.
“The community forum is going to rent one of these and it will be turned into a shop for the town.”
Fears for the future of the toilet block were first raised almost three years ago when Fife Council announced that it was to sell off the building.
Alarmed at the number of abandoned buildings already in Cardenden, members of the community council campaigned to ensure that whoever purchased the conveniences did so with a view to renovating the area and not allow the block to deteriorate further.
Delighted that the new shop units have now opened on the site, Mr Taylor said that other communities could learn from Cardenden to prevent eyesores from impacting on the local landscape.
Suggesting that more work was to be done in the town, he said: “As far as I know there is legislation going through parliament at the moment to help with this sort of thing.
“But now that we have got this done we will try to speak to other building owners.
“Maybe they can give properties to the community to do something with them because the last thing that we want is more eyesores.”