December 20 2024

Fraser/Livingstone Architects have submitted updated proposals for Detailed Planning and Listed Building Consent for 37 apartments in Dunfermline.

Acting again on behalf of Byzantian Developments the project replaces an earlier 2022 application for 42 flats, subsequently withdrawn in October.

The homes will rise on the site of a C-listed villa at Walmer Drive, latterly occupied by Fife Council, which has been subject to a mishmash of extensions and additions over the years before falling victim to a devastating fire last year. Recounting these events the architects wrote in a press update: "As earlier proposals were progressing through planning, a destructive fire caused extensive further damage to the derelict existing buildings in the Summer 2023, including the collapse of roofs and upper floors."

Acknowledging the importance of the remaining listed structure to the town's conservation area the practice has pledged to incorporate the remaining structure within the new development, stating: "Fraser/Livingstone Architects have now progressed revised proposals for 37 new homes for the steeply sloping, south-facing site that lies in the heart of the town’s historic Conservation Area. The walls of the original C-listed villa are retained as a built heritage remnant but repurposed to form a new entry court within a sequence of landscaped parking terraces.

"Animating the city skyline, a cluster of 3 interconnected bronze-clad pavilions are held on a tiered masonry plinth, with apartments arranged to exploit extraordinary panoramic views south to the Forth Bridges, bringing folk back to live in the heart of the Auld Grey Toun.”

The site has lain empty for over a decade awaiting alternative use.  

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Sven on 21 Dec 2024 at 13:23 PM

The mass and impact of the flats could be mitigate by using a similar sandstone finish over the wood. It is too alien to a historic area of Dunfermline.

#2 Posted by James Hepburn on 21 Dec 2024 at 13:35 PM

Looks entirely incongruous. More like a ski resort. Who has the lack of imagination to come up with this?

#3 Posted by Lovely on 21 Dec 2024 at 16:41 PM

A bit of apres-ski anyone perhaps?

The developer should be forced to rebuild the listed building stone by stone then these type of suspicious fire to cleared site type jobs would dry up very quickly.

#4 Posted by ASBO Dave on 22 Dec 2024 at 20:20 PM

It maybe grows on you after the second bottle of tonic wine ?

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