Published: Thursday, 8th March, 2007 12:00
It’s a prime site – but who owns it?
By by Gary Fitzpatrick
Print Article
Pic by: Dunfermline Press
OWNERSHIP of a prime site in the centre of Dunfermline remains a mystery despite top-level inquiries.
Nobody seems to know who owns St Andrews Square, one of the city-centre’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfares.
The area provides an entrance to the Kingsgate centre, is opposite the central post office and is overlooked by the former St Andrew’s-Erskine Church.
It is surrounded by shops and a restaurant but even Scotland’s highest property registration authority is in the dark about who owns it.
Fife Council and the Kingsgate centre have both said it is definitely not theirs and the title deeds show it does not belong to the church.
The anomaly came to light when Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie tried to have a dead tree removed from the square.
He thought it would be a simple matter to have the “blight” dealt with but soon found out otherwise.
In September, Mr Rennie received a reply from Fife Council area parks co-ordinator Peter Howden, saying, “The site at St Andrews Square is owned by the Kingsgate” and added, “I agree that the dead tree at this prominent site is rather disappointing and would be pleased to assist if this would help.”
However, in October, the MP was told by Kingsgate manager Neil Mackie, “I can confirm that the tree in question does in fact fall outside the ownership demise of the Kingsgate centre.
“Our demise extends really to only the monoblocked area immediately adjacent to our entrance doors.”
He added, “I have to say that, over the years, there have been a number of occasions in which Fife Council and ourselves have been slightly unclear as to ownership demise and responsibility.”
Mr Rennie went back to the council and in December was told by Mr Howden, “I have obtained title plans for this area from my colleagues in our estates service and can categorically state that this land is not owned by Fife Council.
“As you know, it was thought that the subjects formed part of the Kingsgate centre as the original trees were planted as a part of the development. It may be that the land forms part of the Erskine Church but I am not privy to the full ownership information.”
The MP’s next attempt to find an answer was with the Registers of Scotland agency but again the owner’s name proved elusive.
James Meldrum, Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, examined the titles of the Kingsgate centre and the St Andrew’s-Erskine Church and confirmed that the land was not owned by either.
A historical map check showed that the square was once part of Queen Anne Street.
A smaller strip of land in Queen Anne Street was conveyed by Fife Regional Council to Cruden Developments and is now part of the Kingsgate.
However, Mr Meldrum had to conclude, “From our records, it is not possible to determine whether the area was included in the original Crown Charter of the Dunfermline Burgh Lands.”
Mr Rennie, who had been contacted by a constituent about the tree, said, “At the moment we still don’t know who owns this important area in the middle of Dunfermline, which seems very strange.”
The next port of call for inquiries will be the National Archives of Scotland but for the moment at least the dead tree looks set to avoid the chop.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
'Too sexy' shop finally opens in Dunfermline