Councillors are dismayed by the length of time taken to demolish eyesore blocks of flats in Crosshill.
Although the go-ahead was given in July 2015 for five blocks of hard-to-let homes to be pulled down and three blocks to be upgraded in Inchgall Avenue, members of the Cowdenbeath area committee said they were disappointed little progress had been made.
Councillors who previously agreed to the demolition of blocks 48-84 have now approved a further request from officers to knock down block 36-42 after inspections found a roof leak had caused severe internal damage.
An upper flat floor has had collapsed into the property below and council officials said it would not be “financially viable” to spend money on the properties.
Committee members were told the demolition of that block will leave an open space between block 28-34 and block 44-46. Consultation events are planned with residents on how that space should be used.
Councillor Alex Campbell, who represents The Lochs, said; “I visited the site recently and I find it totally unacceptable that these blocks are still there. It’s an absolute eyesore.
“There was raw sewage coming out of the back, the rear of the gardens was like a bombsite, and it’s unfair to the people staying on either side of these flats.
“I feel the council has totally and utterly dragged its heels on this issue and the place looks absolutely dreadful.
“It has to be done soon because people are paying council rent and living in an area which, in my eyes, is totally unacceptable.”
A report to councillors stated there is a “degree of stigma” now attached to the area.
Lochgelly and Cardenden councillor Ian Chisholm said the council could spend money to tidy up problem areas like Inchgall Avenue.
“Would it not be better to have a sort of creative policy where we have these specific streets cleaned on a regular basis – getting rid of mattresses, old cars, cut the grass – to stop this from happening?” he said.
“The tenants are told it costs £25 to pick things up, they don’t pay it and that leads to the streets being untidy, the value drops and then we have to demolish the flats.
“I know it will cost us some money but it’s worth it in the long run.”
However, Councillor Linda Erskine said: “The reality is that it comes down to resources. We can’t put something in that we can’t sustain – if you raise expectations for one particular group, you’ll raise them for everyone.”
