WHEN the former Lochgelly Town House becomes part of a new housing development in the town the proceeds from the move will form a new Common Good fund for the burgh.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee was told that when the former Lochgelly Town Council was disbanded on local government re-organisation in 1973 Lochgelly did not have a Common Good Fund.

But any proceeds from the use of the town house, in the proposed housing project would see funds accrued which would be purely for use for the benefit of the town.

A report by Michael McArdle, of Property Services, indicated that the town house was a prominent listed building which was currently owned by the council.

“This was used as a local office for council employees but has been empty for some two years since staff were re-located to the refurbished Lochgelly Centre,” he said. The formerly adjoining depot and library have been vacated and demolished to prepare the site for redevelopment.” Mr McArdle added that the Lochgelly Charrette exercise, held in 2010, had indicated the need to identify a sustainable future for the town house and a proposal to create a development linked to the town house which would become flats, had received backling from a public consultation event which was held in November.

He added, “The council has set a target to deliver 2700 housing units in the area by 2017 in conjunction with housing associations and private developers; and the project involving the town house and former sites of the library and depot will contribute towards this.

“Funding for the project is being made available through the Housing Revenue Account and grant subsidy from the Scottish Government, with the town house being coverted to form four flats and the new builds forming another dozen flats.

“Any capital receipt arising from the transfer of the town house should be held in a new Common Good Fund and the management of it should fall to the Area Committee.” Councillor Ian Chisholm, Lochgelly and Cardenden, asked how the operation of the fund would work and Mr McArdle stressed to him that it would be entirely up to the members of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee.

It was agreed that a new Lochgelly Common Good Fund be established to hold any funds that accrue from the project.