Fife Council granted planning permission for up to 66 homes to be built at Nydie Mains in Strathkinness.

The number of houses was reduced from the 76 which Stirling-based developer Avant Homes wanted to build which it was predicted would push Strathkinness Primary School over capacity by one child for three years.

The full council agreed with a recommendation from councillors on the north east Fife planning committee that the number of houses should be reduced.

A phasing plan will be required to allow impact on the school, where pupil numbers are expected to fall in the longer term, to be monitored.

Planner Mary Stewart told councillors: “By managing the rate of the development through a legal agreement which would mean we would engage with the applicant in terms of actual numbers of children at the school as the development builds out we believe we can manage that capacity within the school’s ability to provide education.

“In the longer term, the proposal would serve to support the continuation of what is quite a small village school in light of the falling roll.”

The developer will have to pay for a feasibility study to determine how education capacity could be increased.