RESIDENTS in Cairneyhill are being encouraged to have their say on plans for 150 new family homes in the village.

Avant Homes want to build three-to five-bedroom homes, as well as affordable housing, on farmland west of Pitdinnie Road.

This would be phase two, they've already constructed 100 homes on an adjacent site, and a public consultation will get underway from Thursday, November 19.

Cairneyhill Community Council have already indicated that they will oppose the plans.

A spokesperson told the Press in September: "We intend to object to it.

"Our main concern is the flooding issues we've had here as well the drainage, transportation and access, and the strain on local services this would no doubt cause.

"I'm not sure whether the school would manage in terms of capacity but I'm led to believe that they think they could.

"There is no GP practice in the village either."

A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was submitted to Fife Council in August, which gives the developer a 12-week consultation period before a full planning application can be submitted.

Due to the pandemic, Avant Homes will launch an online consultation to provide residents with further information.

Through this process, the developer said input from the public will help shape their proposals and any revisions will be presented at a second event to be held in December.

A website presenting the proposals – https://cairneyhill.scot/ – will go live at 9am on November 19 and a digital consultation event will take place that same day from 3.30-6.30pm.

Consultants will be available to answer any questions and receive feedback live during these times through a two-way, interactive chat system. Feedback can also be submitted via the website.

Proposals for the land stretch back to 2009 when Robert Forrester – who helped establish Forrester Park Golf Resort in Cairneyhill – first outlined an ambitious £65 million plan and a partnership with Avant Homes.

At the time, he wanted to build a luxury five-star hotel, new nine-hole golf course, 140 houses, fishing loch, holiday chalets and an equestrian centre on land next to Pitdinnie.

It didn’t get past the planning stage but the idea was reworked with the first phase set to be the housing element.

Avant said they listened to community concerns before scaling down the size of their proposals to 100 homes, and they received planning permission in principle in August 2015.

There were more than 200 objections at that stage, with concerns about flooding, the loss of "prime agricultural land”, increased traffic and the impact on the environment and wildlife.

Full planning permission followed in 2017 and the homes were built, with the developer now aiming to start phase two.

Avant said that any representations or suggestions for changes to the proposals shared during this month's consultation will be included in a pre-application consultation report to accompany the proposed application for 150 homes.

Hard copies of consultation boards and feedback forms, or further information, can be obtained by phoning 0131 247 1450 or in writing to EMA Architects, 42 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4HQ or by emailing: info@ema-architects.co.uk.

The deadline for submitting feedback will be December 9.