Plans unveiled to replace once-popular village pub with four houses

A once-popular Fife village pub looks set to be torn down and replaced with housing.

Blairhall Village Bar, situated in the west Fife village of Blairhall, could soon be demolished and four new homes built on the site, according to new plans submitted to Fife Council.

Owner Rab Hamill has lodged the planning application with the local authority after trying to sell the pub for many years.

However repair work required for the building has made the business unviable.

Mr Hamill submitted a separate application last year to carry out essential repairs to the roof in particular, but the level of work needed to bring the building up to scratch is far more than originally thought.

A spokesperson for Stuart King Architecture and Design, which has submitted blueprints for the new housing proposed on the site, said: “Whilst the bar has served the local community for some time, the business has been out of operation due to the need for extensive restorative work to be carried out, including a new roof.

“The extent of work required, and the associated costs have determined that this is no longer a viable business.

“The site has been marketed unsuccessfully for years, and our client has now decided to pursue alternative ways to utilise the site and benefit his local community.”

The firm added that the design proposal has been informed by the most recent housing development in Bowling Green Wynd, which is adjacent to the site.

“A similar design approach was taken to ensure the proposal complements the surrounding development and while located on Houldsworth Road will complete the development started with Bowling Green Wynd,” the architects continued.

“In terms of scale, consideration was given to the immediate surroundings and what has already been developed.

“It was then determined that two sets of semi-detached houses were the best option for the site.”

The four houses proposed will incorporate a number of Low Zero Carbon Generating Technologies, including electricity generating solar photovoltaic panels.