Detailed Design & Next Steps

FEEDBACK & RESPONSES

The Proposed Development has been designed to seek to accord with Local Plan policies as far as possible and includes a number of design aspirations that will deliver a high-quality development on this long-term vacant site.

Feedback was received from the council and Reporter on determination of the previous refused planning application and during further pre-application engagement with the Council in November 2023. The project team has sought to address as many comments as possible as noted in the table below.

Officers feedback and the design response are summarised below:

FEEDBACK	RESPONSE
The proposal would likely introduce an incongruous form of development and the development would not positively reflect and respond to the general surrounding context.	The larger retail unit is reduced in width and increased in length to reduce the overall roof height to reduce the visual perception.
The proposed design and layout is out of keeping with the residential character of the surrounding area.	The larger unit is thinner than the previously proposed unit which allows for slightly wider landscaping to the rear and to the car park frontage to help the design integrate more positively with the surrounds.
Transportation Development Management had no objections to the previous proposal subject to imposition of conditions in the interest of road safety. Objections to the refused application noted the potential for high levels of traffic and the detrimental impacts on road safety as a result of the development. The Reporter noted that there could be a reliance on private car journeys.	A proposed reduction in car parking spaces will encourage a reduction in reliance on private car journeys and the removal of the garden centre element from the previous proposal will deter increased car journeys. No bulky goods will be sold, thus reducing the need for private car journeys to and from the site.
There should be more space for people within the site in relation to the neighbourhood function of the site (cafes/services etc) and less car parking.	The proposed neighbourhood units and public realm to the front entrance of the units can encourage pedestrian activity and spill out space for cafes.
The extent of proposed hardstanding and potential for impact on visual amenity of the site.	The car park is screened by hedging plus the landscaped slope will aid in reducing any visual impact. Further tree planting is proposed.
The emphasis and prominence of the large building may take precedence within the townscape, which is contextually jarring. Local shop units should respond positively to the street.	The neighbourhood units are positioned closer to the street and positively respond to the increase in public realm provision.
A local centre should be designed to reflect a local function and an approach that encourages walking and cycling. Consideration of connections to existing residential areas.	Pedestrian routes are shown from the north and west through to the south. The pedestrian route through the north of the site is designed to align with the planner signalised pedestrian route on Dunlin Drive. 12 cycle spaces are located across the site to encourage sustainable travel.

WHAT’S NEXT:

Thank you for visiting our exhibition.

We will accept feedback until the end of the consultation.

All comments and feedback on the proposals will be accepted until the end of February 2024, when the consultation will close. Please note that feedback at this stage will be to the prospective applicant and not the planning authority.

There will be an opportunity to provide formal comments to the planning authority (Fife Council) upon the submission of any forthcoming planning application.

Thank you again for taking an interest in the proposed development. If you have any questions, please ask a member of the design team or please contact exhibition using the details provided below.