First phase of Kingdom Housing Association’s £26m Inverkeithing redevelopment revealed

Planning permission was approved in principle in April to demolish the existing 236 dwellings and the redevelopment will start with an initial phase of 53 new homes in a low density, pleasant environment.

Scott Kirkpatrick, head of development at Kingdom, said: “The designs have been developed by 7N Architects, as a result of extensive dialogue with existing residents and the local community, undertaken in partnership with Fife Council. The proposals aim to transform the area by creating a new housing development that integrates fully with the wider area. The total development cost, for all phases to create 189 homes, will be around £26m, which represents a significant investment in the area. Approximately £3.9m will be provided to Kingdom as grant subsidy from the Scottish Government and Fife Council to help fund the first phase of the project.”

The design concept has been inspired by the Rosyth Garden City design, which is less than a mile away, and the principles established by Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Movement from the turn of the 20th Century.

The development will provide lower density, comfortable, secure new terraced homes for existing residents with private front and back gardens, well planned open space within easy walking distance and open tree-lined public streets.

Robin Livingstone, associate architect at 7N Architects, said: “The designs utilise a simple contemporary approach of high quality, robust buildings and materials for both the new homes and the public areas. The area will have a distinctive new identity for the area, but the use of a limited palette of brick colours links in to the surrounding area of 1930s housing at Spittalfield to the west and 1980s housing at Spencerfield to the east.”

7N received valuable input to the master planning design from Rankin Fraser Landscape Architecture and Scott Bennett Associates and careful consideration has been paid to the public areas to address the current poorly defined spaces.

Robin added: “It is hoped that through a considered design approach where the relationship between the design of the new houses, the choice and use of materials, the integration of landscaping to streets and open space and the connection to sunlight and views, will all contribute to an enhanced sense of community, where residents take ownership of their built environment.”

Elspeth Lang, senior development services officer at Kingdom, said: “The works on phase one are programmed to start on site, towards the end of this year, when the demolition of the existing flats is completed. In addition to the new housing it is intended to incorporate a number of community initiatives into the contract, including employment and training initiatives and integrated public art work.”

The project will be a phased redevelopment and when completed, around March 2018, there will be 189 new homes for affordable social rent and 3 retail units provided in the area, to meet the needs of existing and new tenants and the residents in the community.