Plans for a £7.5 million special care village for the elderly in Kirkcaldy have been approved.
Members of Fife Council’s central area planning committee gave the go-ahead for a local authority-run 60-bed home, a day care centre and meals on wheels facility in the north of the town near the John Smith Business Park.
The development, which could eventually include a number of “extra care” houses, is the first phase of a drive to replace council-owned care homes across the region.
The busines case for the Kirkcaldy project was approved in March and was described by council leader Alex Rowley as an innovative and exciting project which would serve generations to come.
It is hoped the home will be open by September next year and will replace the Raith Gates and Appin House homes.
Planning officer Elspeth Cook said: “The care home would provide 60 en suite, single bedrooms with associated shared lounge and dining areas on both floors. It’s a care home aimed at demential patients.
“In addition, this building would provide a community drop-in facility, a day care service and a kitchen suitable for supplying the meals on wheels service.
“Sixteen staff are expected to be present within the building at any one time. The council had retained this area of land for the purposes of a care home and, in due course, assisted living units.”
Ms Cook said there had been some issues around the meals on wheels aspect of the application, given it was a distribution-type service with vehicles coming to and from the site. But she told members this would be located at the furthest away point from neighbouring houses to mitigate noise.
The planning application was supported by Kirkcaldy councillor Neil Crooks, who said it was a long-overdue development.
“There is a significant gap in day care provision in the Kirkcaldy area,” he said. “The sooner this is built, the better.
“It’s going to provide an outlet for people we are currently struggling to accommodate. Hopefully the assisted living units will follow on quite soon so we will get this whole development for Kirkcaldy.”