Kirkcaldy residents are to be asked to help kickstart ambitious plans to breathe new life into a derelict part of town.
The Kirkcaldy charrette, focusing on redeveloping the run-down Victoria Road corridor near the town centre, is due to get under way on February 26.
During four days of workshops in Pathhead Hall, local communities, businesspeople, landowners and groups will work with a design team to come up with ideas to transform the area in the short, medium and long-term.
In the spotlight will be the area around Victoria Road housing the world’s oldest linoleum factory Nairn Street, Commercial Street and Smeaton industrial estate.
Like similar ventures in Lochgelly and Levenmouth, the intensive planning process will rely on input from locals, both young and old, to create a realistic future for the area.
Project leader for Fife Council, Michael Westwater, explained the charrette, which has attracted 50% funding from the Scottish Government, would try and address the increasing dereliction in the area.
Like other Scottish town centres, as more and more vacant properties appear, so there is an increasing blight on the landscape.
“Rather than continuing with outward growth, we want to refocus on areas like this which are going into dereliction,” he said.
However, he warned the charrette would not turn things around overnight.
“This is to take forward regeneration. If it takes 40 years for an area to decline, it will probably take a similar timescale to improve.
“One of the tasks of charrettes is to manage expectations,” he said.
It was important to come up with realistic and achievable goals at the charrette, where independent consultants Ironside Farrar will work alongside the public.
On day one the scene will be set, key objectives laid out and views taken on board. That will be followed by filling in information gaps as ideas are honed and more people contribute.
The final stage of the charrette will centre on creating a finalised plan.
“It is an excellent model of community engagement,” Mr Westwater said. “The beauty of the charrette model is that everyone has fed into it and feels they have influence in what’s happening.”
More information can be found about getting involved at www.fifedirect.org.uk.