INVESTMENT totalling almost £6m is going to have a marked impact on the facilities Lochgelly will have to offer in 2015.

Local councillors Mark Hood and Linda Erskine have this week outlined what they described as ‘the next exciting phase’ of a number of projects in Lochgelly. Speaking to the Times, Mr Hood said, “A great deal of work has been done over the past 18 months on a number of local projects and we are now moving these into the delivery phase, where local people will start to see changes.

“Linda and I have been working with council officers and local groups, attracting funding and working up designs.

“As a result over the next six months we will see nearly £4m worth of projects started in the Lochgelly area.” The councillors went on to outline a number of local projects which will be involved. At Lochgelly High School, sports facilities improvements are to take place.

Mr Hood, who is the Fife Council Executive member with responsibility for Sport and Physical Activity, explained, “Last week worked started replacing the synthetic pitches at Lochgelly High with a new 3G surface, this is part of a £200k investment in the sports facilities at the school.

“This investment will also see a replacement of all of the gym equipment with new state-of-the-art machines, a new cycle-spin studio, improvements to the dance studio and an upgrade of the café area, with new seating.

“This work should be complete by spring next year and will be to the benefit of pupils and the wider community in the evening and at weekends.” The much talked about Town House and Town Square Development is another project which will see a considerable sum spent in the town.

An investment of £2m will see 16 new council homes built in and around Lochgelly Town house and a new town square, at the rear of the St. Andrew’s Church building. Mrs Erskine, Fife Councils’ Executive member for Finance explained, “We made a commitment to a significant new council house build programme in Fife.

“I’m pleased that we will start to see this making a difference in Lochgelly as we bring the Town House back into use as badly needed housing, this will be accompanied with new homes and a town square that will improve this important part of our town” See also 6.30pm post.