Fife Council say no to new Inverkeithing home proposals

Khrum Syed, of Samou Property Ltd in Cowdenbeath, had applied for a change of use of part of the shop at 73-75 High Street.

The aim was to keep the ground floor of the property as a retail unit and turn the first floor storage area, which is to the rear of the shop, into a family home with a separate entrance.

Convener of the west and central planning committee, Councillor David Barratt, said: "I can understand a bit of leeway but a five-bedroom family house with zero garden I would find concerning.

Councillor David Barratt, convener of the west and central planning committee, moved for refusal of the application. (Image: Fife Council)

"Yes, there is amenity in the area but none that you could reach without having to go through a busy car park and across multiple roads.

"The car park that essentially this house would be located within is not in their ownership and it's a busy car park used by the occupants of a large block of flats.

"To increase the demand on that with a five-bedroom house is questionable."

Farmfoods closed in November 2019 and the unit has been empty ever since.

A previous application by Mr Syed, to part change the use of the shop into a hostel, was withdrawn in January.

As well as converting the store room the plans included a single storey extension but there were changes to the original application, with some windows replaced by rooflights to address overlooking concerns and the deletion of two off-street parking spaces.

Due to the gradient of the site, access to the house would have been off Roman Road and via a private car park to the rear of the shop.

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There were 25 letters of objection, with concerns about loss of privacy, daylight and sunlight for neighbouring properties, an increase in noise, road safety and the impact on the High Street, while the council's transportation service was also against the proposal.

It was worried about the lack of off-street parking and access issues for pedestrians and vehicles.

However, planning officers recommended approval, saying it would bring a redundant building in the town centre back into use and stating there would be no "adverse impacts".

Cllr Dave Dempsey said: "I'm a bit sceptical about the notion that a five-bedroom dwelling, which is going to be occupied one would imagine by a fair number of people and not all children, just because it's in the town centre you don't need to provide any parking spaces?

"If it's a family with kids are they all going to travel everywhere by bus?"

Planner Derek Simpson said that for town centre locations they can "relax" parking standards and added: "Obviously transportation are objecting because it doesn't comply with their guidelines but we feel the benefits associated with the scheme, and the location of the property, means we're satisfied on balance that the lack of parking isn't a reason for refusing this application."

Cllr Barratt said the design of the home was not "good quality" and his recommendation to refuse, due to concerns about overdevelopment and adverse impacts on road safety and visual and residential amenity, was agreed by the committee.