A WEST FIFE MSP says local communities are “feeling overwhelmed and under siege” from developers seeking to build on controversial sites – and hit out at builders using the planning system to “milk profits”.

Alex Rowley said developers were “cherry-picking” sites and were only interested in building by West Fife’s coast, “because they believe that’s where the profits are”.

He highlighted Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey’s proposals to build at Barns Farm, Dalgety Bay, and Spencerfield in Inverkeithing respectively, as well as Cala’s plans to develop at a plot north of the A921 between Aberdour and Burntisland.

The Press has previously told you about the fierce local opposition to development at these sites, which were all removed as proposed housing land from the FIFEplan local development plan in September 2014.

Mr Rowley now wants the Scottish Government to act on planning issues and has written to Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for social justice, communities and pensioners’ rights, seeking a meeting to discuss his concerns.

He said, “The local development plan is about getting the balance right for communities and development across Fife, not for developers to cherry-pick or milk the profits.

“There’s land up in Kelty, Benarty, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes but developers aren’t taking it up because they want to milk the profits.

“They’re using the planning system to try and develop sites that are not in the local plan and want to build at Spencerfield, Barns Farm and the land in Aberdour.

“The plans have been rejected but they keep coming back again. This cannot continue.

“The coastal area is already overheating in terms of development and if that goes ahead you’re just going to get the ‘Fife Coastal Housing Strip’.

“They’re saying houses aren’t being built because of the market but then they tell the council, if you allow us to build here and here, we can address the shortage of houses.

“The Scottish Government has set this planning system out and it seems to be in the interests of developers rather than local communities.” He said Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay and Aberdour would lose their distinct identities if the developments went ahead and is seeking to work with local groups to put pressure on the Scottish Government.

He continued, “Communities are feeling overwhelmed and under siege from these developers who seem to want to use every means possible to circumvent the system and argue that the housing land supply is not being met. “If they succeed with this approach, which would require the Scottish Government to overrule the local authority, then not only would this be a failure to recognise the concerns and views of these local communities, but it would take us in the direction of each of these towns and villages losing their distinct identity.

“To allow the development of this whole coastal strip for housing would, in my view, be a tragedy and I am not prepared to sit back and allow this to happen by default.”