A new Lidl supermarket in Rosyth and a permanent ground for the town’s football club could soon be built after a five-year wait.
At a meeting of Fife Council’s cabinet committee on Thursday, councillors agreed to sell land north of Admiralty Road.
It paves the way for a new retail outlet after the plans were first lodged in 2017.
Rosyth FC had given up its Admiralty Park pitch at the request of Fife Council to provide land to site the new store.
Planning conditions attached to the development required an equivalent or better alternative football pitch to be provided.
Council agreement ends five-year saga
However, with no suitable alternative facilities available, a stalemate has rumbled on leaving the club without a permanent home and struggling to meet its league obligations.
Now a contribution will be made towards the cost of the replacement pitch to be constructed at Pitreavie playing fields.
The full size synthetic pitch will offer a permanent base for Rosyth FC as well as offering wider community use.
Previously a grass pitch had been proposed at Fleet Grounds, the current home to Rosyth FC.
However with Fleet Grounds now confirmed as the location for the forthcoming multi-million pound replacement for Inverkeithing High School, the club’s future had looked uncertain.
Russell Craig, Rosyth FC’s vice chairman described the agreement as a momentous one for both the club and the wider community.
New home for Rosyth FC
He said: “Finally we have light at the end of the tunnel of what has been a difficult five years for Rosyth FC.
“This agreement by Fife Council now allows us not only to meet all of our obligations for to the East Of Scotland League but also secures guarantees the long-term future of the senior club.
“With plans for a new pitch that will be SFA compliant, everyone involved in the club can now breath a sigh of relief.
“As a community club we also know that this agreement will finally allow for the Lidl supermarket to be built which is good news for Rosyth and makes used of out former Admiralty Road ground which has become something of an eyesore in recent years.
“We are grateful to everyone at Fife Council who has been involved in realising our vision for the club and helping to make those plans a reality.”
Russell said that he expects the club to make the move to Petrivie during the current season.
Fife Council leader David Ross also welcomed the move.
He said: “A number of elements have now come together which will provide a new Lidl supermarket for the town, improved sporting facilities, the ability to provide new housing and a preferred site for the replacement Inverkeithing High School.
“This is a good news for Rosyth and I’m delighted we’ve finally been able to take this complex sale forward.”
