A controversial plan to build houses on a Dalgety Bay greenfield site owned by Shell UK is on hold.
The shock announcement came after talks between Shell executive vice-president and chairman Erik Bonino and Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Gordon Brown.
Shell confirmed it had temporarily shelved its plans to sell the Barns Farm land at Braefoot Bay. David Burgess, Shell’s installation manager at Fife Gas Plant, said it would allow the firm “time to understand and respond to the concerns expressed by the local community”.
More than 200 people turned out last week to voice their concerns about Persimmon Homes’s proposal to build 150 homes on two fields which had been put on the market by Shell.
The proposal has caused a furore in the town because the site forms part of the safety zone around Braefoot Bay oil terminal and is contrary to the local plan, which stipulates that the land remains zoned for agriculture.
Residents said the town which has a population of 11,000 is already “struggling to cope” with many experiencing daily difficulties obtaining doctor and dentist appointments.
It was also pointed out that schools and community facilities were stretched to capacity and have limited existing resources.
Other issues highlighted were potential damage to farm land and ecology, impact on quality of life and potential flooding risks.
Shell has owned the land for 30 years as part of a farm adjacent to the petrochemical plant.
News of the temporary pause in proceedings was welcomed by Dalgety Bay community council chairman Colin McPhail.
Meanwhile, local action group Keep the Bay’s Living Space said it was a “step in the right direction”.
A spokesman added: “It would be interesting to understand what put on hold actually means.
“However, we are glad that this locally hot subject is now receiving high-level attention at Shell and hope that we can all work together in reaching a long-term, permanent solution, a solution in which the residents of Dalgety Bay don’t have to be looking over their shoulders all the time.
“Dalgety Bay is comfortable within its current boundaries and, in its jubilee year, needs to be allowed to mature as a town without fear of already overstretched facilities being strained further.”
In his talks with the global company, the former Prime Minister secured an assurance from Shell UK that it would postpone any further action to sell the land at Barns Farm to housebuilder Persimmon until after a meeting in London between Mr Bonino and Mr Brown, local MSP Alex Rowley and Mr McPhail. The showdown meeting will be on the morning of March 26.
Mr Brown said: “I’m grateful that Shell has put the matter on hold for the next two weeks.
“It is important, however, that we resolve this matter for the long term and secure use for the land that does not alienate or harm the very patient residents of Dalgety Bay and the surrounding area who have been supportive of Shell and Exxon’s work at Mossmorran for the past 30 years.
“That is why community leaders have insisted that no greenfield project should go ahead at this stage and that only brownfield development should be the priority on existing sites which have already been developed.”