FIFE'S "first dedicated mountain bike trail centre" should be completed at Lochore Meadows by July.
A £400,000 project will see the existing network in the country park extended by an additional 2.5km of 'more technical' routes for riders.
Work is due to start in April or May and the project includes the expansion of the ancient Harran Hill woodland, with 5,500 new trees to be planted.
Louise Whyte, Fife Council's capital project manager, told the Cowdenbeath area committee: "This is a project that the park manager, Andy McGrath, has been working on for some time.
"It's essentially an extension to the original White Wood mountain bike trails."
The aim is to "create Fife's first dedicated mountain bike trail centre" and she added: "Ideally we would like it to be completed by the end of July.
"There's a mountain bike event coming to Lochore Meadows in August so the idea is we'll have the trails completed before then.
"The provisional start date is April / May."
Last month the estimated cost of the works was "approximately £200,000".
The total is now double that at £400,000.
Ms Whyte confirmed that "costs have increased", which had left a shortfall, and if the committee agreed to reallocate £47,000 from the ‘Improving Health through Leisure and Sport’ budget, that would be the "last piece of the jigsaw".
The extension will offer "more technical mountain bike trails" and the aim is to make it easier for riders of all abilities to get into the sport.
She said that as well as health benefits, the improved facility would bring in more visitors who would go on to spend their money at local shops and businesses.
Trail construction is expected to cost £310,000 with £37,000 on fencing, £15,000 on tree planting and £38,000 for contingency and professional fees.
There will be ongoing inspection and maintenance of the trails and woodland, which will be supported by council staff, volunteers and partners.
To pay for the project they've secured £200,000 from Nature Restoration Funding, £130,000 from the council's capital plan and £25,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Cllr Lynn McLelland said: "We've got a cycle track (Fife Cycle Park) up there that's not utilised as much as it should be.
"The mountain bike trails is the type of cycling people want. They don't want to go on a track and round in a circle."
The committee agreed to the funding request.
Over the last 16 years, approximately £274,000 has been invested in cycling infrastructure at the park, which attracts around one million visitors a year.
From around 2005, mountain biking was noticeably growing in popularity and the success of a number of community cycling initiatives - including the creation of Meedies Bike Club - led to the development of new trails.
Funding of £50,000 was secured to build the first official trails in the park and in 2010 the White Wood skills area was completed.
In 2016 there was investment of £120,000 to transform 'unofficial' tracks into a purpose-built 6km network for riders.
Additional funding of £104,000 was spent on enhancing the White Wood trails in 2021, creating a dedicated coaching and skills area.
Last year proposals were submitted for the "final stage", completing a mountain bike trail loop by adding a further 2.5km of "more technical" trails.
A committee report concluded: "For the bike trails to be constructed, linking existing trails together, two sections of council-owned land within the country park, currently leased to two tenants, will be required.
"Both tenants support the project and we are in advanced discussions to bring the required land back into the management of the country park."
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