LESSONS learned from building their own home will help a Dunfermline teacher and her husband transform a derelict site on Townhill Road.

Carol and Steve Williams both work full-time but have taken on a labour of love for four new houses after designing a dream pad near Queen Margaret railway station.

She said: "It's not the type of project where we just throw up houses and move on.

"We have this vision for building really nice houses, as if we're going to live in them, the difficulty for us will be remembering that we're not!

"Not to be disparaging but we'll definitely be building to a spec and finish that may be a lot better than what's out there from the major housebuilding firms."

Their company, Premier Homes Scotland, will build four detached homes at 37 Townhill Road, at the corner of Methven Drive, where Hillpark House used to stand.

Dating from Victorian times, it was demolished in 2015 and redevelopment plans by McCallan Homes were opposed by local residents, who formed a campaign group and blasted the proposals for 10 flats as "utterly inappropriate".

Graeme Whyte, from Bellyeoman Community Council, said: "The two applications for flats were fought vehemently by local residents and the community council and were rejected by the council and then thrown out at appeal, which was good.

"After talks with the previous owners, they came round with an idea of four houses which were given planning permission.

"They've obviously sold it on and I see that work has started. Premier Homes Scotland have tweaked the plans slightly and, broadly speaking, I think everyone is happy something is happening with the site as it's lain undeveloped for some time.

"It will be good to see houses built there and the site completed."

The Dunfermline couple bought the plot from McCallan Homes with planning permission in place, and a team of builders will construct three four-bedroom homes and a five-bedroom home.

Two should be ready before the end of the year and two in mid-2021.

Steve, a group construction manager with Eastern Western Motor Group, has plenty of construction industry and project management experience, having converted a chapel and built his own home.

Carol said they both still worked full-time but "have a real interest" in property development after their own self-build project.

TV programmes often make this look like a fraught and stressful business and she laughed: "That's because they go mad with these ridiculous grand designs!

"Why would you do that? Then they can't find the last half a million pounds to finish it off.

"We just kept it simple, built a bungalow in keeping with the area and added a couple of rooms.

"We're happy with what we built for ourselves."

So far, the locals seem happy too as Carol said: "A lady across the road had seen some of the workers digging last week and had taken a tray of Coke over, as it was a hot day and she thought they'd been working so hard.

"She was just pleased to see work starting at last and it all feels really positive.

"We're not sure how much the houses will go on the market for but we have had enquiries already as it's such a good site."

You can find out more by emailing info@premierhomesscotland.co.uk.