RELOCATING Fife College is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to halt the inevitable decline of the town centre”.

That’s the opinion of Dunfermline Delivers chairman Bill Fletcher who said they’re backing a switch from Halbeath.

The idea is that bringing thousands of students, and their spending power, into the centre of Dunfermline would breathe new life into the city and transform its fortunes. It will be the college’s decision if they move, with sites at the old Hyundai plant and the Glen Bridge car park both mooted, but they’ve been informed of the benefits to the city.

Mr Fletcher said, “We’ll try everything we can to push for relocation into the centre of the town.” Chair of the City of Dunfermline area committee, Helen Law, added, “It would be a real game-changer.

“Ultimately it’s up to the college but we’ve made them aware of the options and I’d be really disappointed if they didn’t come here.” Mr Fletcher also said the new Tesco store on Carnegie Drive “could be a very good thing” for Dunfermline.

It’s due to open next month and he told the Press, “It’s part of the challenge. The good thing is it will allegedly bring up to 30,000 people a week into the centre of Dunfermline.”