FIFE Council has signalled its backing for one of Scotland's largest urban regeneration schemes which it is estimated would support up to 3,500 new jobs.
Councillors on the executive committee has decided to support in principal the Rosyth Waterfront development in Fife which would cover 120 acres and include five zones in the shadow of the Forth bridges.
The council described it as a "major milestone" in the progress of the £500 million project which will incorporate a business and employment park, the Rosyth Gateway commercial zone, a supermarket, leisure centre, restaurants, large stores, shops, cafes, bars, galleries, housing and waterfront gardens.
Development partnership Scarborough Muir Group Ltd said the proposals, will “capitalise on the potential of the area after the designation of the Forth Bridge as an UNESCO World Heritage Site” and, “complement the waterfront’s role as a European gateway for trade, commerce, and tourism”.
The masterplan for the site, first unveiled in November of last year, would be delivered in a partnership with site owners SMG, itself a partnership between Fife-based J.W Muir Group and real estate developer Scarborough Group International.
SMG said the proposals would “help to deliver the Fife Economic Partnership 10 year Economic Strategy and the 9,000 jobs needed to get the economy back to pre-2008 levels”.
It added: "The masterplan seeks not only to bolster the area as a diverse and broad-based employment centre, but to deliver a quality waterfront development, complementing the site’s surrounding landscape and historical legacy, its links to Rosyth and neighbouring communities."
SMG said it would lodge a Pre-application Notice and later hold an extensive public consultation after the summer with a view to submitting a full planning application towards the end of 2015 or early 2016.
Mike Shirkie, Labour councillor for the Rosyth ward, said: “Having fought for the past 10 years for the mixed use development of Rosyth Waterfront, I am delighted that common sense has at last prevailed.
"It could not have come at a more opportune time with the announcement of World Heritage status of the Forth Bridge by UNESCO and completion of the Queen's Crossing next year creating a unique three Bridges site across the Forth.
"Mixed use development of Rosyth Waterfront will provide a fantastic 'Gateway' for tourists, create thousands of much needed jobs during the construction and operational phases and finally give access to our people to the Waterfront for the first time in over 100 years.”
Alex Rowley, Labour MSP for Cowdenbeath and former leader of Fife Council said: “I am pleased with the Committee’s decision to accept mixed use waterfront development at Rosyth, with the recent announcement awarding Forth Rail Bridge World Heritage status, I feel the timing of the decision is right for Rosyth”.
Rosyth started off as a Garden City in 1915-1916 with 1,600 houses and was built to form the coastal port of Dunfermline which began in 1909 . It is now home to more than 13,000 residents.
Its dockyard closed in September, 1925 and the area saw very little growth until it reopened in 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War.
Although the dockyard provided the majority of jobs, businesses gradually moved into the town, with one of the first being Lyle and Scott, clothing manufacturers who set up there in 1962.
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