Fife Planning Ahead: Glamping plan with shepherds' huts and Aberdour housing
Former council offices in Dunfermline city centre could be transformed into flats.
Plans for the disused building at 4-8 Abbott Street include six private flats.
The listed three-storey building, near Carnegie Library and Galleries, will remain the same on the outside, with all work being done internally.
The former registry office dates from the early 1900s but has been empty for 20 years.
A proposal has been lodged for a new housing development in Aberdour.
If approved, Carolina Construction Ltd will build 12 houses at the village's western end, off Inverkeithing Road.
A separate Aberdour development for 186 homes was approved for the Hillside School site earlier this month.
The owner of the Albert Hotel, in North Queensferry, wants to replace the roof amid ongoing leaks.
Water ingress has damaged plaster inside the building and the proposal would ensure it is watertight.
The hotel, closed since 2017, was the subject of a failed community takeover bid two years ago, under the Land Reform Act.
The former play centre at Muddy Boots could become a glamping site with shepherds' huts.
Balmalcolm Farm owners have applied for permission for six huts for overnight guests, tent pitches, eight motorhome pitches and EV charging points.
They describe the huts as 'high end', each containing a sleeping area and small kitchenette.
All toilet and wash facilities will be housed in a separate communal building.
The application adds: 'This small-scale sustainable development will provide subtle and discreet countryside accommodation for tourists.'
Plans for a large solar farm with 58,000 panels have now been submitted for farmland west of Cupar.
Balance Power says the 145-acre array at Over Rankeilour will take in land belonging to three farmers.
The company reduced the size of the development by 20% following public feedback earlier this year.
If approved, solar farm will take nine months to construct and will be in place for 40 years.
Former Dunfermline council offices
Aberdour housing
Albert Hotel roof plans
Muddy Boots shepherd huts
Cupar solar farm
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The Courier
30-05-2025
- The Courier
Fife Planning Ahead: Glamping plan with shepherds' huts and Aberdour housing
Former council offices in Dunfermline city centre could be transformed into flats. Plans for the disused building at 4-8 Abbott Street include six private flats. The listed three-storey building, near Carnegie Library and Galleries, will remain the same on the outside, with all work being done internally. The former registry office dates from the early 1900s but has been empty for 20 years. A proposal has been lodged for a new housing development in Aberdour. If approved, Carolina Construction Ltd will build 12 houses at the village's western end, off Inverkeithing Road. A separate Aberdour development for 186 homes was approved for the Hillside School site earlier this month. The owner of the Albert Hotel, in North Queensferry, wants to replace the roof amid ongoing leaks. Water ingress has damaged plaster inside the building and the proposal would ensure it is watertight. The hotel, closed since 2017, was the subject of a failed community takeover bid two years ago, under the Land Reform Act. The former play centre at Muddy Boots could become a glamping site with shepherds' huts. Balmalcolm Farm owners have applied for permission for six huts for overnight guests, tent pitches, eight motorhome pitches and EV charging points. They describe the huts as 'high end', each containing a sleeping area and small kitchenette. All toilet and wash facilities will be housed in a separate communal building. The application adds: 'This small-scale sustainable development will provide subtle and discreet countryside accommodation for tourists.' Plans for a large solar farm with 58,000 panels have now been submitted for farmland west of Cupar. Balance Power says the 145-acre array at Over Rankeilour will take in land belonging to three farmers. The company reduced the size of the development by 20% following public feedback earlier this year. If approved, solar farm will take nine months to construct and will be in place for 40 years. Former Dunfermline council offices Aberdour housing Albert Hotel roof plans Muddy Boots shepherd huts Cupar solar farm
The Herald Scotland
29-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Efforts to buy North Queensferry's Albert Hotel raised in Westminster
Last month, the North Queensferry Trust vowed to continue their fight after Scottish Ministers rejected their application for a community right to buy of the premises. The organisation want to restore the historic building for the good of the village and have lodged an appeal against the judgement. Addressing the Leader of the House, Lucy Powell MP, Ms Ward said community ownerships of assets can be "incredibly valuable". She continued: "In North Queensferry, the community is working hard to take ownership of the Albert Hotel, but their efforts were blocked by SNP government ministers who rejected their application to exercise their right to buy." In response, the Leader of the House stated: "I'm really sorry to hear that the Scottish Government has rejected the application for her constituent. That is something that I don't think should have happened. We will be debating the importance of community right to buy in forthcoming legislation." Melanie Ward MP at the Albert Hotel. (Image: Contributed) Ms Ward also recently met with Iain Mitchell, Chair of the North Queensferry Community Council, during his visit to Westminster. They discussed the importance of the hotel to the community and the widespread local support for the Save the Albert campaign. She added: "The Albert Hotel is a much-loved part of North Queensferry's identity. The SNP Scottish Government's decision to deny the community the chance to secure it for public use is short-sighted and deeply disappointing. "I will continue to press for this decision to be reversed and show my support to the Save the Albert campaign. Local people deserve to be listened to on the future of their communities.' The Albert Hotel's owners, Festival Inns, previously applied for a change of use so they could convert the C-listed building into flats but this was met with 133 letters of objection. Read more: The plans were rejected by Fife Council's west and central planning committee and an appeal to the Scottish Government also failed. Villagers in North Queensferry then formed the not-for-profit company, The Albert Community Group Ltd, with the aim of buying the building and restoring it for community use. They previously said that if successful, it is hoped the bar would be returned to the ground floor, with a restaurant created and rooms made available to community groups. Following the decision to reject the community right to buy application, Trust chair Iain Mitchell said they had identified "a number of procedural and substantive errors" both in the process and the decision. "We are going to exercise our right to take an Appeal to the Sheriff," he added. "The fight to save the Albert continues."
The Courier
27-05-2025
- The Courier
SNP 'wrong' to block community bid to take over 200-year-old Fife pub
A Scottish Government decision to block an attempt to bring the Albert Hotel in North Queensferry into public ownership has been criticised in Westminster. It follows proposals by North Queensferry Community Council to take over the pub – which has been mothballed since 2017. The picturesque village pub sits below the Forth Bridge and dates back to 1824. House of Commons leader Lucy Powell said the SNP administration's rejection of community buy out attempt 'should not have happened'. Since its closure, the local community explored how a local takeover of the privately-owned pub could revive it as a community space selling food. An application was submitted in 2023 under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. But the plan was not judged to be economically viable and was rejected. The decision was raised in Westminster by Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward. Commons leader Lucy Powell said she is 'really sorry to hear' the Scottish Government has rejected the application. 'That is something that I don't think should have happened, she added. 'We will be debating the importance of community right to buy in forthcoming legislation.' Ms Ward recently met Iain Mitchell, chairman of the North Queensferry Community Council, during his visit to Westminster. The Labour MP told The Courier: 'The Albert Hotel is a much-loved part of North Queensferry's identity. 'The SNP Scottish Government's decision to deny the community the chance to secure it for public use is short-sighted and deeply disappointing.' The Albert Hotel is owned by the Festival Inns Limited SSAS pension fund, controlled by the Edinburgh-based hospitality tycoon Kenny Waugh The owner previously applied for permission to convert it into flats but was rejected by Fife Council. Mr Waugh has since unveiled a £400,000 investment plan which stalled while the community buy-out application was assessed. Reports suggest the building – which includes a nine-bed former hotel – has been left to fall into serious disrepair. Developers say it has become infested with wood rot and is not safe for use without redevelopment. A representative of Mr Waugh previously told the Daily Record that locals should drop their campaign. They say that if the community council accept the decision then progress will be made in restoring the building. Campaigners have submitted an appeal against the ministerial decision. A Scottish Government spokeswoman declined to comment while the appeal process is underway.
