Plans to increase number of homes at controversial Aberdour site set for approval

Plans to increase the number of homes at a controversial Aberdour housing development will go before councillors next week.

Cala Homes and Hillside School now want to build 186 houses, alongside a new school campus.

A previous bid for 125 homes was approved by the Scottish Government on appeal.

It followed refusal by Fife Council after 350 local objections.

Eighty people have now objected to the fresh application.

However, planning officers have hailed it as welcoming and high-quality, and are recommending approval.

Planning papers to be considered on Wednesday reveal construction will take more than five-and-a-half years if the proposal goes ahead.

Further details of the site’s layout and how many homes will be built in each stage are also set out.

Aberdour housing to be built in 5 phases

Cala Homes and Hillside School submitted their latest planning application in December.

If approved, it would allow Hillside School to move out of the B-listed Hillside House and into purpose-built accommodation.

The plans include a mix of three, four and five-bedroom homes, 46 of them affordable.

However, they would cover a 15% smaller area than the previous proposal.

Construction would take place in five phases, starting with 46 houses at the western end.

This would allow Hillside School to remain open while the new campus is built.

A vehicular access from Mill Farm Road would also be created in the first phase.

Access from Main Street would come later, while the plans also show multiple pedestrian and cycle accesses and an internal loop road.

£31m benefit to Aberdour

Objectors fear the development would alter Aberdour’s character and cause traffic congestion in the village.

They are also concerned about the impact on the primary school and health services.

But planning officer Scott Simpson says the site has sufficient capacity to increase the number of homes.

And he adds: “It would integrate well within the existing Aberdour settlement.”

Should planning permission be granted, the developer will have to pay more than £179,000 towards the cost of temporary accommodation at Aberdour Primary.

Meanwhile, an economic impact assessment suggests construction would create 250 full-time jobs.

This could result in a £31.6 million boost to local businesses.