A CALL to future-proof Dunfermline's new housing stock has been made.

Scottish Greens' election candidate for Dunfermline and Dollar, Ryan Blackadder, has accused developers of keeping communities "in the past" through their choices of heating systems in new homes.

Following changes set to be introduced by the Scottish Government, all new homes in Scotland should be built with clean, renewable or renewable compatible boilers from April this year.

Despite this, Mr Blackadder said Taylor Wimpey are planning to build 1,400 new houses close to the Queen Margaret Hospital with "soon-to-be prohibited gas boilers" instead of cheaper, safer and greener alternatives.

“Gas boilers aren’t just bad for our climate, they mean higher bills for families in a time when household budgets are already being stretched. They leave us at the whim of fluctuating global gas prices," he said.

“By choosing to install new gas boilers, Taylor Wimpey is signing new homeowners up to continued uncertainty with the guaranteed cost of future retrofitting as these boilers become obsolete.

“Here in Dunfermline, we’re working with our community to object to this part of the proposals. Developers should be delivering housing that is fit for people and planet, as the new regulations require.”

The Scottish Greens say they are contesting this aspect of the plans and are supported by Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.

Responding to the criticism, Taylor Wimpey East Scotland's Technical Director, Pauline Mills, said: “In line with the current building regulations, Phase 1 of our Whitefields development for around 400 new homes already has all of its building warrant applications lodged or to be lodged before 1 April 2024, all of which are proposed with high-efficiency gas boilers.

"The remaining 1,000 new homes, the majority of the development, will have building warrant submissions after April 2024 and will comply with the building regulations in place at the time of those submissions.

"At present, we anticipate that they will therefore have no individual connection to the gas network.

“Our homes are highly energy efficient and are rated B for Energy Performance reflecting current applicable building standards.”