Work is under way on Kirkcaldy’s biggest house-building project in a generation.
Almost 1,100 new homes will be created on the Murray Estates’ £500 million Kingdom Park development over the next decade.
A new primary school, retail units and a community centre are also included in the plan on the 135-acre former opencast coal site between the A92 and the A915, in the north east of the town.
The already congested roads network around the Gallatown and Redhouse roundabouts will be improved to accommodate an anticipated increase in traffic as the town’s population swells.
The project has received support from the Scottish Government through a £6m loan from the housing infrastructure fund.
The Courier revealed last month that work was poised to start on site, five years after planning permission was granted.
Murray Estates said the work will be done in five stages, with all construction scheduled for completion in 2028.
The initial phase of infrastructure works should be finished by the end of this year, providing serviced sites to house-builders and retail developers.
Scotland’s housing minister Kevin Stewart, who visited the site as work began, said building quality homes was key to driving economic growth,
“That’s why we have set an ambitious target to deliver 50,000 affordable homes by 2021,” he said.
“Partnerships with the private sector, such as Murray Estates at Kingdom Park, will help us to achieve that target.
“Our £6m investment from the housing infrastructure fund will result in nearly 1,100 new homes, 163 of which will be affordable, and that’s great news for Kirkcaldy and the wider economy.”
Labour councillor Neil Crooks, convener of Kirkcaldy area committee, said Fife Council staff and elected members were delighted to see the development begin.
“Kingdom Park has been a key part of the council’s development strategy for the mid Fife area, providing homes, jobs and a new community,” he said.
A planning application for Kingdom Park was submitted in 2010 and was approved by Fife Council in 2014.
The first phase will see 535 homes built by 2026, with all 1,088 completed by 2028.
Murray Estates director Russell Wilkie, said: “Kingdom Park is a key strategic development and we are delighted to be collaborating with the Scottish Government and Fife Council to channel significant investment into creating this new expansion to Kirkcaldy.”
