Fod Arms owners told to make building safe

Work is due to be carried out at the Halbeath site after Dunfermline MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville pressured Fife Council to take action.

Residents have long voiced concerns about the safety of the derelict building, which was also known as Hotel Roma, since the restaurant closed in November 2006 following a fire.

In February last year, local Mark Sherry told the Press that the former pub had contributed to the area looking like an "eyesore".

There were reports that kids were risking injury after getting into the dilapidated building.

Fife Council have now asked the building’s owners to remove any loose materials or make repairs to prevent falling debris.

The owners have also been asked to investigate the building’s internal structure to ensure its integrity is not compromised.

Ms Somerville has welcomed the development but is calling for tough action to be taken to clear up derelict sites elsewhere in Dunfermline and West Fife.

She said: "It’s long overdue that Fife Council took action to make this site safe.

"As well as posing a danger to the public, dilapidated buildings represent a barrier to local development.

"The Scottish Government recently announced that compulsory sale orders will be introduced in the course of the current parliament, which means that new powers will be coming to councils to force the sale of derelict buildings.

"I’ll be encouraging the council to make use of these powers at the earliest opportunity. It’s time that local communities see sites like this put back into use."

Planning permission was granted in September 2015 to applicants Messrs Private Pension Yeoman McAllister & Hornbuckle Mitchell Trustees Ltd, of Edinburgh, to knock down the premises and build five retail units.

The company has failed to comment when asked to respond by the Press.

New powers will allow Fife Council to order the sale of derelict buildings and gap sites, however, compulsory sale orders will not be introduced until 2021.