PLANS for a new drive-thru McDonald's restaurant and a petrol station that will bring 130 jobs to Kelty have gone back to the drawing board.

Fresh proposals have been submitted to Fife Council for the Kathellan Home Farm site at junction 4 of the M90 motorway.

The joint applicants – site owner Ian Maclellan and TG Convenience Stores Ltd – said the eight pump petrol station and shop would create 10 jobs while the McDonald's restaurant would employ 30 full-time and 90 part-time staff.

A statement on their behalf by agents Graham and Sibbald said: "The development will bring the site back into active economic use and make a positive contribution to the local economy by restoring jobs and the passing trade that has been absent since the Baxters facility closed."

A previous application was tabled in May last year but potential problems including pedestrian safety, lack of electric vehicle charging points, noise, air quality and drainage were raised and the plans have now been re-worked.

The agents admitted: "The application was withdrawn in August 2021 following a number comments from consultees that required to be addressed.

"It was felt that these were easier to address with a resubmission of the scheme as a number of these required alterations to the layout and access."

The site of the proposed Blairadam Forest roadside services is just to the west of Kelty, south of the B914, and includes the overspill car park for the former Baxters restaurant and deli and an area of agricultural land.

If approved, it will be open 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday.

The McDonald's restaurant would have 100 covers, 40 car parking spaces and eight cycle spaces, as well as a "fast forward" lane in the drive-thru.

The petrol station will also have a separate HGV refuelling area with parking.

Low and zero carbon measures for the site include air source heat pumps, solar panels and eight electric vehicle charging bays.

The land had been used as a dairy farm and around 30 years ago a small tea room opened at the site, which later expanded to provide a small restaurant and shop called The Butterchurn.

In 2003 the business was sold and it became a farmhouse restaurant until it was taken over again, with Baxters agreeing a 10-year lease in 2009.

That same year the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, backed a masterplan for four huge projects at junction 4 but the £50 million-plus investment was never realised "due to the financial crash".

It included a 50-bedroom hotel and conference centre, micro-brewery, children’s play centre and holiday chalets on the Kathellan site.

The Baxters outlet closed in February 2018 amid "challenging trading conditions" and the premises have been empty ever since.

The site was marketed and interested parties had ideas including a distillery and a nursery, but they came to nothing.

Mr Maclellan is keen to keep the Baxters building and see it returned to good use, but one of the "financial barriers" is understood to be the current rateable value of the property.

The applicants hope the new development will "restore confidence in the marketability of the location and drive business back to this site" without the need for it to be fully redeveloped.