CENTRAL FIFE is set to benefit from a massive £86 million investment in the Kingdom's council homes over the next two years.

The cash agreement was made at a meeting of Fife Council's Community and Housing Services Committee at the end of March, which also included a pledge to provide an ambitious 3,500 new affordable homes by 2022.

A committee report stated that almost £51 million of the huge eight-figure sum has been earmarked to fund a 'wider works' programme, to be used for projects like retirement housing and regeneration work.

That includes the completion of major alterations at Cardenden's Den Court sheltered housing complex, while allowance has also been made to complete a previously agreed programme of external cladding to Swedish timber properties in Cowdenbeath.

The report also said that the council "stand ready" to implement any recommendations from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed lives of 71 people in June last year, and that a preferred contractor is in place to install sprinklers in all 12 of their high-rise blocks.

They would cost just under £4 million – for which the council have already made allowance for – while a further £6 million will be spent on installing new heating systems in homes to help meet government energy efficiency targets three years early.

A further £42 million - in addition to the two-year £86 million council homes spend - will be invested to creating thousands of new properties in partnership with Fife Housing Association Alliance., with the council aiming to "build homes of the right size and type where they are needed most - whether that's for bigger families, elderly people, young people in rural areas of people with disabilities".

Councillor Judy Hamilton, committee convenor, said: "This investment is great news for our tenants who have already had the opportunity to see the new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and energy saving methods this money will fund at the recent Better Homes Exhibition in the Rothes Halls.

"We are committed to making sure all our homes are of the highest quality possible, and energy efficient too. Our ambition is to create a warm, dry and affordable home for every Fifer that needs one and that people are proud to live in. This investment will go a long way to delivering that.

"Fife invests more in housing than any other council in Scotland, which underlines how important we feel it is for our communities to enjoy quality affordable homes."