CARDENDEN Community Council has tabled a proposal that the way to see more social housing in the village is to develop the vacant site of the former Auchterderran Education Centre at Woodend Road (see picture).

This facility was established in the Auchterderran Junior High Building on the completion of Lochgelly High School in the mid 1980s, but was closed a few years ago.

The second public consultation event held by Kingdom Homes and Campion Homes on the plans to build houses on land at Woodend Road saw the community council again air their concern about the very wet condition of the land earmarked for the new housing.

The community council secretary, David Taylor, said that the main concern is the large volume of surface water which gathers on the site when there is heavy to torrential rainfall and this was part of the council’s response to the consultation event.

The community council has submitted their response to the developers and Fife Council planners.

“The surface water will not only affect the proposed houses but the existing houses that there are in this area of Cardenden,” Mr Taylor contended.

He said that the council response pointed out that the original plan for this area of land did not take into account the amount of water generated and has resulted in a new plan which he said had escalated the project from a minor development to major development on agricultural land outwith the village boundary.

He added: “Before any formal planning application is submitted or considered, SEPA and Fife Council’s Flood Prevention officers need to be consulted regarding the large volumes of surface water being diverted from one Flood Risk Area to another Flood Risk Area and Fife Council Roads Department needs to be consulted on the flooding on Kinglassie Road, caused by water spillage from adjoining fields (see picture).

“Fife Council’s Estates Department will need to agree to regularly maintain the ditch and burn behind the existing housing at Woodend, to ensure the free flow of water which has caused flood damage to adjoining properties in the past.”

Mr Taylor added that the response looked at a way of providing the social housing needed: “If Fife Council are keen to create more social housing, in Cardenden, then they should form a partnership with a housing association to transform the derelict Auchterderran Centre site into a social housing complex.

“Fife Council owns the site and an housing association could apply for the necessary funding to build the houses and convert the listed buildings.

“Ore Valley Housing Association have acquired the derelict listed building in Bowhill, the former Institute and Youth Centre, and are preparing plans to convert it into social flats.

“These projects would avoid unplanned development on agricultural lands outwith the village boundary.”