PLANS aimed at extending a Limekilns business so it can help sustain the village as a tourist destination have been lodged with Fife Council.

The owners of the Limekilns Hotel and Bistro have applied for permission to extend at the back of their premises to create five new bedrooms.

A planning statement from agents KBAD Ltd said a further six rooms would be kept in the existing building.

It said the proposals would see the business' bistro capacity reduced from 70 seats to 30 in an effort to make it "a more efficient business" which would offer "good quality local food whilst continuing to knit into the local community and supporting local businesses, boosting local tourism and helping to sustain Limekilns as a destination."

It added: "There is an opportunity here for the regeneration of the Limekilns Hotel and Bistro to be a catalyst to local community, similar to South Queensferry with the regeneration of Orocco Pier."

Previous plans for the hotel have failed to get planning permission and the planning statement said the fresh proposals followed a pre-application process and consultation with planners.

"The proposed amended scheme is a much-reduced version of the submitted pre-app and the previous refused proposals. The overall height has been now reduced to one and half storeys.

"The extension will bring the building up to modern standards and achieve the requirements of the business model to make it a more efficient bistro offering good quality local food, whilst knitting into the local community, supporting local businesses, pubs and shops.

"At the same time, it will boost local tourism and help to sustain Limekilns as an important destination."