MULTI-MILLION pound developments that will bring "jobs, people and money" to Kelty have been hailed as a good news story.

Local councillor Alex Campbell is excited about the transformation of the old St Ninians site, with its 930 acres to be turned into an 'eco-therapy wellness park'.

And proposals on an adjacent site, on the other side of the M90 motorway from Kelty, could see a McDonald's drive-thru restaurant and petrol station at junction 4.

Cllr Campbell said: "For me it's something that's long overdue for the area.

"The park will bring economic benefits to the local community through tourism and social enterprise.

"An important factor is that it creates local employment, and not just seasonal ones, but it can only be a good news story.

"If it's bringing jobs, people and money into the area, there's nothing negative about it."

As reported by the Press last month, National Pride, a community interest company, bought the former mine from Hargreaves and aim to turn it into a beautiful park for leisure, relaxation and rejuvenation.

The plans, which also include restoring the trout fishery and establishing an aquatic centre at Loch Fitty, aim to boost mental and physical health, create jobs and put money back into the local community.

The park will have ‘wellness lodges’, tree houses and spas, areas of rich biodiversity, it will use green technology for energy and work with locals to create long-term employment and training opportunities.

National Pride also want to build an arts, museum of mining history and entertainment centre, which will also host conferences, keep the best of the Charles Jencks land art and have a showcase for locally grown produce.

Kelty Community Council chairman, Fred Clarke, said: "We've not had a meeting for some time but, purely from a personal point of view, it's good that it's sold.

"It'll be a plus to see something finally happening with the site, we've all heard stories about various plans that never came to anything.

"It looks like they're jumping on the bandwagon with the eco-park as we were all advised during the pandemic to get out walking more for physical and mental health, plus they're talking about saving the planet, so they're marketing it very well in my opinion.

"Anything that brings people into the village, even for a cup of tea after wandering round the park, has to be a good thing."

Around the same time, plans were unveiled for 'Blairadam Forest Services', which would be next to the former Baxters store at Kathellan.

TG Convenience Stores Ltd, based in Essex, have submitted an application to Fife Council and said the site would attract thousands of cars every day and create 75 jobs.

If approved, the roadside services would be "a gateway to Kelty" and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mr Clarke said: "The applicant obviously has their ears to the ground and know the leisure park is coming, plus the long term plans for 900 houses at the site on the other side of the motorway.

"They'll probably reckon that most of those homeowners will be commuters and will be filling up at the petrol station before they go and when they come back again.

"It's the same as before, if it brings people and jobs to Kelty, it's something I welcome."