THERE will be red faces at Fife Council as the skatepark they built and opened in Cowdenbeath last June didn't have the proper planning permission.

The local authority acted as applicant and agent for the new facility situated along from the Leisure Centre, next to Central Park, and organised an opening ceremony with local councillors, local school children, skaters, designers and the contractor.

The skatepark was hailed as "one of the best in Fife" but it's now emerged that the council fell foul of their own rules as it's been open for more than 10 months without the necessary planning approval – from the council!

A report admitted: "Planning permission was approved in 2016 for a skate park in this location, however, its form differed slightly from the approved plans and required a new application to regularise the development."

New plans should have been tabled before the skatepark, which was to be different and smaller than originally approved, was built.

This wasn't done and a retrospective application was submitted around seven months after it had opened, in late January, and wasn't approved until April 2.

The report added: "It was noted during a site visit by the case officer that the skatepark has already been constructed."

Retrospective planning permission has now been given for the concrete skatepark, associated landscaping and seven floodlighting columns covering an area of about 900 square metres of what was open space.

There was one letter from a member of the public who raised concerns about anti-social behaviour and increased littering at the skatepark, as well as the potential for an accident as it's near to the Aldi store's loading bay.

The council report said: "It is considered that as there are safe routes to and from the skatepark, along with litter bins within the vicinity, it is out with the planning authority's control if users of the facility use different routes / drop litter.

"Furthermore, the planning authority has no control over anti-social behaviour and this should be reported to the appropriate authority."

Despite the mistake, the opening of the Cowdenbeath skatepark in June last year saw the completion of the Area Committee's impressive skatepark strategy with an overall investment of £945,000 on new or upgraded skateparks, as well as new multi-use games areas, in Cowdenbeath, Cardenden, Benarty, Kelty and Lochgelly.

Councillor Linda Erskine, convener of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee, had said: “Cowdenbeath’s new skatepark is set to be one of the best in Fife and everyone involved should be very proud of what they have achieved.”

And Cllr Judy Hamilton had added: “Improving sport and physical activity opportunities is one of the ways the council looks to tackle the health inequalities that Fife faces.

“This family of new skateparks in Central Fife are an example of how improving greenspaces in the local area means that we see many more youngsters being physically active for free.

"There’s already a lot of positive feedback on the other new skate parks and I’m confident that Cowdenbeath’s new skate park will only add to that positive response.”

It was funded by the area committee and Section 75 funding from the Leuchatsbeath housing development.