A £600 MILLION investment in Dunfermline would see 2,150 houses built and could create more than 7,000 jobs.

As the Press were the first to report last month, Stirling Developments Ltd have submitted a planning application for the Earl of Elgin's Broomhall Estate.

The proposals include two primary schools, 69 hectares of employment land, three community hubs, parks and "character areas".

The Dunfermline-based firm acquired the land and development rights for Lord Elgin's estate and details of their application for the 223-hectare site, south-west of the town, are now available on Fife Council's website.

Stirling Developments Ltd said the £600m investment would lead to a total employment of 7,150 jobs over the 25-30-year development period.

Going by the average household size, the firm said: "Broomhall's total anticipated residential population when the 2,150-house development is completed would be 4,655 persons."

It said the new residents would generate annual retail, leisure and recreation expenditure of £48m and Council Tax income of £4.1m.

The residential part of the plans, and there is scope to increase the number of houses to 2,450, would cost around £375m, industrial units and offices around £208m and £15m for two primary schools, which could each accommodate 440 pupils.

The firm's planning statement said 2,642 jobs could be created in the industrial premises and 4,511 in the offices.

It added: "In summary, the proposed development is projected to generate £600m of capital investment, 330-400 jobs per annum over its construction period, £52m annual revenue and an estimated 5,720 net additional long-term jobs."

The new masterplan took inspiration from The Grand Plan for Dunfermline, unveiled 100 years ago, which included a major development at Broomhall and spoke of "grand boulevards and regal architecture".