KIRKCALDY councillors have been urged to keep their options open over the proposed replacement of the town’s swimming pool amid growing calls for suitable alternative sites to be found.

Members of the Kirkcaldy area committee were told on Monday that instead of a £11.7 million like-for-like replacement of the ageing pool, a new sports and leisure centre costing an additional £3.6 million could be built, providing that extra funding could be found.

Councillors also learned that both options could be accommodated on the site of an existing car park in Tolbooth Street, with the committee agreeing to continue exploring any other available site options which could provide opportunities for development.

Following the committee meeting, however, local people and sports groups have expressed their anger that the Tolbooth Street site is still being considered as a real possibility.

Kirkcaldy farmer David Osborne, from Invertiel Farm, told those in attend- ance at a public meeting this week that the site is too small for future development of facilities and added that he would happily give up an area of his 400-acre estate at no cost to the council so the local authority can build a new sports centre.

However, Mr Osborne— just one of several people speaking out against the Tolbooth Street option at the meeting—maintained that the former Nairn’s linoleum works in Victoria Road would provide a perfect site for the pool’s replacement.

“The Victoria Road site is ideal but no-one will make a decision that is a natural decision. There is just no movement on the issue and the council is delaying it and delaying it for another meeting,” he said.

“Having listened to the whole thing and seeing so much inaction, I’m quite serious in making land available to them.

“If they want it they can have it and, if it is of use, I am more than happy to talk to them.

“But if I was making the decisions, personally I think the Nairn site would be better for Kirkcaldy.

“You have houses round about it and it’s a fantastic site but I’m just an underling I’m afraid.

“The council seem to be going for the least cost option because they already own the Tolbooth Street site.

“As someone very eloque- ntly put it, they seem to be just ticking the boxes, saying ‘That’s the swimming pool out of the way, what’s next?’—and there was no thought of what’s better for Kirkcaldy.”

Scottish Enterprise Fife bought the lino works in 2000 and is in the process of applying for a demolition order after failing to find a suitable use for the A-listed building.

The council considered transforming the former factory into a £7.5 million library, museum and archive centre but those plans were scrapped several years ago in favour of developing the town’s existing museum.

Any progress on applying for a demolition warrant is still expected to be some months away but a spokes-man for Scottish Enterprise said yesterday that it would consider all possibilities for the site.

Kirkcaldy area committee chairwoman Councillor Alice Soper hailed the work done so far by councillors and council officials on looking at the various options for the pool project but stressed that other sites are still being looked at.

“We do have a commitment to ensure we provide the best possible facilities for all pool users, from families and teenagers wanting more of a leisure facility to competitive swimmers,” she said.

“We’re going to have some important decisions to make within the next couple of months and therefore value the wide range of comments we’ve received from sports organisations and the wider local community about this project.”