High Street Facelift
Burntisland High Street should become more pedestrian-friendly as it looks forward to a £1m facelift planned to be finished by 2007. The programme will massively improve historic buildings such as the old cinema (more of which in the next issue) and aims to ameliorate the parking problems currently faced by residents on a daily basis. This development will go a long way to improving the access to shops in Burntisland. It will hopefully encourage new businesses and shoppers to come to the town. The Townscape Heritage Initiative project will involve restoring and rejuvenating old buildings and open spaces. Much work has already taken place in attracting new businesses into the town and hopefully the sight of boarded-up windows and empty shops will be a distant memory. Work is still needed at the railway station to help disabled/wheelchair users and families with buggies to get to the High Street. Plans showing the High Street Townscape development are available to view at the 2020 Centre at 96 High Street open on Saturday mornings.
East End Cinema/Snooker Hall
Some readers will remember the old snooker hall across from the entrance to the links. The run-down shell is currently being redeveloped into modern townhouses and flats and should be completed by July 06 and aims to be an impressive gateway to the High Street. The 15 units, nine townhouses and six flats have been the work of local developer Bob Wilkie who has been keen to use local tradesmen and businesses within the development. The developments are of a very high quality and this is reflected in the prices being asked with flats costing approx £120,000 and the highest spec townhouse closer to the half a million mark; however it has to be said that out of the 15 units nine had already been sold by Christmas. Without a doubt the corner piece of the development has to be the new four floor Townhouse which must surely be the only house in Burntisland to have a lift installed as standard.
New Catholic Church
The spiritual needs of the local community also look certain to be cared for with the ear-marked development of the Catholic Church at a cost of around £5m. This will be one of the first churches to be built under the new Pope.
Future Developments
Future developments also include the funding for a new holiday park at the Cowdenbeath Road and the much awaited announcement of whether or not the new ferry link to Edinburgh will be coming to Burntisland. (See article by Andy Wight-Boycott) Certainly there is a lot of money being invested in Burntisland, not to mention the 250 new houses currently being built at Colinswell which will also attract many new people to invest in the community.
Recent Town Events
Alongside these developments for the future we should perhaps look at some of the strong points of recent months, these being the firework display organised by the Castle Residents Association and the switching on of the Christmas lights. These are two events which showed that community involvement is very much alive and kicking in Burntisland. The firework display was perhaps let down by the lack of toilets which had families walking to the Beacon Centre or to pubs, which was disappointing, but many people there expressed a real sense of value with the display being the biggest and best the Castle Residents have put on. The switching on of the Christmas lights was perhaps a slightly quieter event but still well attended and a good addition to the town calendar. It was a good kick-off to the holiday season and a good event on which to build for the coming year.
William Symington
...And more...
Work has finally started on the long awaited water feature, replacement for the old paddling pool at the east end of the Links, and by the time readers get this issue of the Burgh Buzz the controversial Broomhill Viewpoint should be
nearing completion. Go see for yourselves! Ed
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