BENARTY has had significant investment in recent years and there are other plans in the pipeline to continue the progress made.

That was the indication given to Cowdenbeath Area Committee to two questions tabled by resident Tom Kinnaird.

Mr Kinnaird, who is also chair of the Benarty Community Council, in his first question to the committee, said: "The entire Benarty area (Glencraig, Crosshill, Lochore and Ballingry), is in desperate need of a regeneration plan which is supported by the newly released 2020 figures in the Scottish Government's index of Multiple Deprivation.

"Ballingry is now the only settlement in the entire Cowdenbeath Area with deprivation levels in the most acute 5 per cent.

"With each passing year the task of lifting this community out of deprivation becomes more difficult. Over the last few years Fife Council has invested heavily into the regeneration of Lochgelly, Levenmouth, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Inverkeithing, Dunfermline, Dalgety Bay, Cupar, Kincardine, Burntisland, Kinghorn, St Andrews and Aberdour and many more.

"Many of these areas are not deprived, but affluent, some extremely affluent, but Fife Council has invested in regeneration all the same. Benarty has waited patiently in the regeneration queue.

"What action will the committee take to begin planning for the regeneration of Benarty?"

In his second question Mr Kinnaird asked: "Benarty has no industrial estate. However, there is 13 acres of land allocated for industrial use in FifePlan, adjacent to Bayne's Bakery, off Loanhead Avenue, in Lochore.

"The land has been left untouched for decades now and is overgrown with mature trees making it an unattractive proposition to any prospective buyer or tenant. The road access from Lochleven Road, is also an issue. What action can the committee take to improve the access, clear this land and prepare it for new businesses to move in."

Community manager for the Cowdenbeath area, Sarah Roxburgh, told the committee that over the past few years there had been some big projects in the Benarty area.

Ms Roxburgh went on: "The new Benarty Centre is the biggest of these with a brand new community facility in place which provides all sorts of services for the people of the area.

"Another big project was the construction of the Fife Cycle Park, at Glencraig, while several improvements have taken place at Lochore Meadows Country Park, with a new visitor centre along with a golf and football hub, plus many other facilities being added to the park.

"Indeed, in the Cowdenbeath Area Community Plan it sets out a positive way ahead for the Benarty area which sets out ways of easing poverty."

The Community Manager added: "People will remember the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's special community plan, which over a periods of years, saw a lot of things happen which brought improvements and another phase is set to happen and this organisation will be working with public agencies which will see continued improvements."

On the question about the industrial estate Ms Roxburgh said this would be an issue which would be considered as part of a development plan which will be ongoing with ways of funding this sort of project examined.

Plans would be made to ensure that the development plan for the Cowdenbeath area would be fit for purpose to tackle this sort of issue.