FED-UP families in Abbeyview have blasted Fife Council and Fife Housing Group for the demise of their estate. 

Householders in streets to the north of Aberdour Road have signed a petition calling for action.

A total of 184 out of 230 households have responded to the petition and the four councillors of Dunfermline South ward have also expressed dismay at the level of neglect. 

When the Press walked around streets such as Walls Place and Standing Stone Walk with local Archie Frail this week, it was clear to see why families are frustrated. 

We tripped on broken footpaths on several occasions, street signs were lying flat on the ground with jagged edges, and enormous trees were blocking communication lines so much so that some neighbours can’t even get a television picture signal. 

Archie Frail, of 30 Walls Place, said: “The biggest problem has been the mismanagement of trees. Some people don’t get any sunlight at all because they’re so big and you can see that their roots are breaking and lifting the paths.

"Who knows what the roots are doing to our properties. I may be representing the area but everyone feels the same. It’s been very frustrating.

“I must have been in dispute with the council for the last three years now and I have had meeting after meeting with councillors and officials but there’s no action – it seems that no-one cares.”

The area, which was built by the council in the 1970s, was first called the Scottish Special Housing Estate but many households now own their homes.

Others are managed by Fife Housing Group but residents have no idea what parts of the estate are the responsibility of the housing association or Fife Council’s. 

Councillor James Calder said: “There are a lot of problems in the area and I have been liaising with council officers and Fife Housing Group.

"Some of the roads and pavements are in a dreadful state and trees and shrubs are overgrown.”

Councillor David Ross added: “There are difficulties that definitely need addressing so we are hoping to have a meeting with council officials. However, not all the land is Fife Council’s and we need to find out what parts they are so Fife Housing can take responsibility for it too.”

A Fife Housing spokesperson said: “Having conducted a number of walkabouts in this estate ourselves, we are aware of the issues which Mr Frail raises and are currently in dialogue with our partner agencies as to how best these might be addressed. 

“We are already scheduled to attend a further walkabout with the local councillors to assess the area again and would be more than happy to attend any subsequent meetings in an effort to agree an acceptable resolution.”

John O’Neil, manager of the council’s Dunfermline Parks, Streets and Open Spaces team, explained that the council are aware of the issues reported and that officers and councillors have previously walked the estate with local residents to discuss their concerns directly.

“We have felled trees on this estate to address some of the problems,” he said.

“And we regularly litter-pick the estate and clear moss from pavements – although both of these things reappear.

"Unfortunately, the council has a finite budget to provide local services and our squads have to spread their time across wide areas of Fife. We are trying to arrange another site visit with new councillors and Fife Housing Group.”