£13.5m community hub planned for Kirkcaldy set for final decision

The money for the hub has already been set aside as part of the council’s capital plan, but the Cabinet will evaluate the project’s business case on Thursday before making a final decision. If approved, it will house Templehall Community Centre; the local office; the current Argos Centre facilities; and Templehall Library which will be operated by Fife Cultural Trust.

Councillor Ian Cameron (Labour for Kirkcaldy East) previously called it one of the most ambitious community initiatives ever realised in Fife.

“It is unique, very ambitious and of course very much needed. It is a huge investment in the people from this community and I hope they can show their support,” he previously said.

The committee report explained that the aim of the hub is to merge “disparate rundown local facilities” into a single, modern space on the site of the existing Argos Centre.

“The current community buildings are run down, require regular repairs and maintenance and health and safety upgrades,” the project business case states. “They are not fit for purpose for the range of activities that the community and partner organisations offer. The existing buildings have been adapted for use as best they can be but there is a real need to provide one modern, fit for purpose hub facility that will meet the needs and aspirations of the community.”

If an integrated solution is not agreed, the cabinet has been told that certain elements of current buildings - such as heating or roofing - may need to be reviewed and prioritised for maintenance investment in the future, which is why - in the long run - the hub will is aimed at saving the council money by consolidating multiple ageing and run down assets into a single, more energy efficient space.

The hub has been on the distant horizon for quite some time. In 2019, the Templehall Neighbourhood Development Plan team began consulting with local residents to gather their views and help inform the plans to develop and build a new community hub. It undertook a range of consultation activities, including 24 focus groups involving residents from a range of backgrounds, and pop-up shops around Kirkcaldy - all of which have informed the current proposals.

If the project is approved next Thursday, work is expected to start at the end of 2024, and construction time will take approximately two years.

Service delivery from the Argos Centre would be temporarily relocated to Templehall Community Centre until the new facility is completed. However, the community centre itself, the library and local office would stay where they are until construction is complete, at which point services would transition across to the new hub. After the services are relocated, the “surplus assets” would be earmarked for demolition.