Glenrothes affordable homes plan dropped

Raith Developments sensationally withdrew its planning application for 36 homes at Lochty View mere hours before a public meeting on the proposed development was due to take place in Thornton Village Hall.

A spokesman for Raith Developments told The Courier: “The has been cancelled due to adverse reaction from householders. It is very disappointing but I think it was the best thing to do given the circumstances.”

The developer had proposed 28 two-bedroom flats and eight three-bedroom houses in the Lochty View estate, which the council would then have made available for mid-market rent.

A separate development of 14 affordable homes in Leven will still go ahead, according to Raith Developments, but the withdrawn application is a set-back for the council, which wants to deliver an ambitious target of 2,700 new homes by 2017.

Alan Russell, Fife Council’s senior manager for housing condition and supply, took an upbeat tone and said: “We have been speaking to a number of private developers to deliver affordable housing as part of the council’s new build programme. Not all of these discussions come to fruition.”