Dunfermline Housing Boost

The first phase of a new batch of homes in Dunfermline is now complete.

The development at North Fod will eventually comprise of 49 properties off Pittburgh Road.

More than 120 people have benefitted from work on the site so far.

Cllr Judy Hamilton, Executive Spokesperson for Housing & Building Services visited the site to mark the milestone. She said: “The work here is a very welcome boost not just to our housing portfolio but to our building portfolio as well.

“These homes boast innovative features such as heat recovery systems to recover the heat from things like central heating and TV use. It can then be put through a heat exchanger to re-distribute it throughout the house in an effort to be more fuel efficient.

“There has also been good employment opportunities associated with this development. Over 120 Fife residents have benefitted from work on the site at some point, mainly through the project’s sub-contractors. Some of the council’s own Building Services apprentices have been learning their trade on the site too -contributing towards a skilled workforce of the future.

“Sharp Construction, one of the contractors working on North Fod, was also successful in securing funding from the Fife Youth Job Contract which gave them funding for seven Modern Apprenticeships too.”

The Fife Youth Job contract funding is a multi-million pound investment by Fife Council to help address youth unemployment locally. To date the Council working with Opportunities Fife has help create over 600 jobs and apprenticeships.

This development at North Fod is part of the Council’s wider affordable housing programme to increase the number of affordable homes for rent across Fife by delivering 2700 new homes by 2017.

Cllr Hamilton added: “With the handover of the phase one complete, staff in Housing Services are now working to allocate these properties to prospective tenants. Where possible, these homes will be let to existing tenants in housing need and the vacated homes will also be freed up for another suitable family.

“I look forward to visiting tenants in the near future as they settle into their new neighbourhood.”

The rest of the development will continue to be allocated in phases with completion expected in July.