Fife councillors back 900-home Kelty development

I&H Brown’s ambitious development, located on land to the south of Cocklaw Street, will see the creation of new housing, a primary school, health centre, and community and leisure facilities over the next 15 years. The company previously secured planning permission in principle in 2023 for the 46-hectare site.

The latest submission to the planning committee set out the Strategic Infrastructure Delivery Plan (SIDP) — a key requirement of that consent. The SIDP outlines phasing details, a development brief for phase one, boundary treatments, a biodiversity and enhancement plan, updated ecological surveys, a travel plan framework, and proposals for off-site road works.

A report from council planners explained that the development will be delivered in four phases:

• Phase One – The north-west corner of the site will be the first to be built, providing 180 homes between now and 2029.
• Phase Two – Running from 2026 to 2031, this stage will deliver 200 homes, including 19 affordable units, as well as the new primary school and health centre.
• Phase Three – This phase will link earlier housing areas with the creation of a primary street connecting Oakfield Street and Cocklaw Street, and will include employment land. A further 260 homes will be built, including 19 affordable units.
• Phase Four – The final phase will complete the residential area in the north-east section, delivering another 260 homes with 19 affordable units.

Each phase will also incorporate significant areas of strategic landscaping and open space.

Planner Katherine Pollock told the committee that this was the first application relating to specific conditions of the overall approval. She confirmed that another live application, submitted jointly by Bellway Homes and I&H Brown, proposes 132 homes within the same masterplan area and is currently under assessment.

Councillor John Beare raised concerns about the absence of affordable housing in the initial phase. However, Ms Pollock reassured members that the phasing of affordable homes had been agreed at the outline stage.

“Affordable houses are in phases two, three and four,” she said. “That was established at the PPP stage between the applicant and the affordable housing team.”

The new primary school is expected to be operational by the end of phase two.