WORK on a development which will see more than 2,000 houses and two primary schools built on Lord Elgin's land is set to start early next year.

The plans for the Broomhall Estate – which developers Stirling have named the Kingswood project – also include the provision of two primary schools, shops, employment and commercial units, healthcare facilities, parks and green space, with the development period spanning 25-30 years.

Planning permission in principle was granted by Fife Council in December 2018. The plans had been on the table for around four years before being approved, despite 56 letters of objection, by councillors on the west planning committee.

Stirling Developments Ltd have now submitted an application to Fife Council asking for permission to amend some of the original planning permission in principle.

If successful, more detailed plans are set to be brought to the table.

Ray Kirk, Director of Projects for Stirling Developments, explained: "The recent planning application aligns the transportation interventions with the anticipated build out of the Kingswood project.

"The application proposes the same road upgrades will be carried out within Phase One, which will now be aligned specifically with the strategically important housing delivery, without detriment to the wider road network and local area.

"Upon the successful approval of this application, a detailed application for the road network will be submitted to Fife Council, covering the first phase of development and thereafter housing layouts will come forward from developers.

"We anticipate construction on site to commence early in 2024."

That infrastructure includes £8.7m contributions for transport improvements such as the western distributor road, a £17m bypass to serve the vast new housing estates and take traffic away from the centre of Dunfermline. It will link the King Malcolm roundabout to Rumblingwell, via Grange Drive, Grange Road and Limekilns Road and it will go west of Coal Road, linking to Pittencrieff Street and William Street.

The plans include road bridges over the Fife Circle and Dunfermline to Alloa railway lines.

The Kingswood masterplan took inspiration from The Grand Plan for Dunfermline, unveiled 100 years ago, which included a major development at Broomhall and spoke of “grand boulevards and regal architecture”.