PLANS for 80 new homes to the east of Kingseat have been refused by Fife Council.

One of the few committees still up and running, the central and west planning committee rejected proposals to develop seven hectares of land on either side of Cuddyhouse Road recently.

There were 44 objections from members of the public and a report to councillors said the development would not be needed as a five-year forecast said "there will be a surplus" of homes in this area.

They also said residents would be faced with "unacceptable levels" of noise, the site was in the countryside and not allocated for housing, and would have an adverse effect on the "visual and landscape character" of Kingseat.

Gladman Developments Ltd, of Livingston, had sought planning permission in principle for 80 houses, including 30 affordable homes, on either side of Cuddyhouse Road.

It would have extended Kingseat to the east, towards Cowdenbeath, and included a new roundabout, play area, paths and cycleways, open space and a community woodland.

The company said the proposal would “contribute to the identified and ongoing shortfall in the Dunfermline and West Fife Housing Market Area (HMA)”.

However, the council disagreed, stating there was no shortfall and the latest estimate was for a surplus of 1,320 homes in the area from 2019 to 2024.

Officers based this argument on figures from the South East Scotland Plan (SESplan 2), which included a major reduction in the projected number of homes needed in the Kingdom, that was refused last year by government ministers.

Dunfermline and West Fife was identified as a “key growth area” in SESplan 1, approved in 2013, which said that 24,500 new homes should be built in the Kingdom between 2018-30. Its successor said that should be revised to 11,444 homes but it was refused due to the lack of proper transport assessment.

Council planners said the housing target figures should still be used as the “rejection letter raised no concerns” about them.