POLICE “would welcome” the approval of 85 new houses in Dunfermline as it would remove a hotspot for anti-social behaviour. 

The force told Fife Council they were in favour of South Fod Farm – which was set ablaze last month – being developed. 

In the past year, together with the nearby Calais Muir Woods, there were 14 deliberate fires in the area and police received 86 calls about youths causing trouble at the old farm. 

A council report said: “The site itself currently suffers from anti-social behaviour with the buildings within the site having been set on fire on a number of occasions. 

“The police have commented on this application to say that they would welcome the re-development of this site to remove this risk.” 

BDW Trading Ltd and Walter Bowie & Sons, of Edinburgh, last week received planning permission to build a range of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, all two storeys in height. 

They want to build a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced units with 21 classed as affordable homes. 

The site is 4.1 hectares, it’s south of Lynebank Hospital and east of Linburn Road, and includes a category B-listed farmhouse – which is not included in the plans – and a number of outbuildings, which are to be removed. 

Three accesses have been proposed, including the upgrade of the existing farm track that connects to Linburn Road.

The roof collapsed on one of the outbuildings after the most recent fire, on February 16, when rubbish was set alight and crews from six fire appliances battled the blaze from around 4pm until late in the evening.

Four youths were charged over the incident and two people were previously charged for a fire at the same site on October 5 last year. 

Fire chiefs voiced concern that someone could be killed and station manager Andy Bennett told the Press: “Our number one concern is people getting hurt or worse. 

“We don’t want to see that happening and we’re hoping that concern can be removed as soon as possible.”  

During last month’s fire at the site, residents were told to keep their doors and windows closed as it’s believed some of the old buildings may contain asbestos. 

The council report said there was also a former petrol store on the land and the housebuilding will lead to 67 trees being removed and a right of way being diverted.  

The application was approved at the west planning committee last Wednesday. 

There were 49 letters of objection, including one from Touch and Garvock Community Council and one containing a petition with 90 signatories that requested that the farm track should be retained for pedestrians and cyclists and “limited vehicular traffic”. 

Among the concerns were additional noise, pollution, traffic and congestion for existing residents, as well as loss of privacy, views, open space, trees and the impact on property values.

The council report said the development “is not likely to cause any significant impact on existing or residential amenity”. 

The applicants have been asked to pay £513,870 as a contribution for education and £80,600 towards strategic transport interventions. 

The site is next to another parcel of land, called Lynebank South, where BDW and NHS Fife were given the go-ahead to build another 114 houses.