A FORMER community hall in Culross is set to be converted into holiday accommodation.

The Stephen Memorial Hall was declared surplus to requirements and sold off by Fife Council last year to Gardenfield Properties, a firm run by Balerno man Simon Dormer.

He has applied successfully for permission to re-purpose the hall as self-catering holiday accommodation and to carry out refurbishment works on the C-listed building, including roof repairs and the fitting of new windows.

In planning documents submitted to the council, he argued that the conversion would “contribute to the vitality and sustainability of Culross” through the creation of new visitor accommodation. 

Despite receiving nine objections to the plans from villagers, council planners recommended approval to the Kingdom’s central and west planning committee.

Locals are concerned that tourists will park on the narrow street outside the hall rather than using the nearby public car parks.

Officers said that was a responsibility for holidaymakers, rather than an issue for them to legislate on.

“It is noted that the objectors consider that any holidaymakers would not park in the public car park,” they said in a report.

“However, there is limited parking on the street and any holidaymakers should follow the rules of the road and should not park illegally.”

The committee approved the application with one condition attached, requiring Mr Dormer to provide details of the new window fittings prior to installation.

Culross Community Council, while supportive of the sale of the building to ensure its continued use, has not expressed an opinion on the holiday let plan.

However, the body did submit comments in which it asked for refurbishment works to be well-managed and avoid disrupting locals.

Stephen Memorial Hall was built in 1883 as a Sunday school and was latterly used as a creche and community hall.

It was declared surplus by the council in 2019 and attempts to sell it for continued community use were unsuccessful, prompting the authority to market it for a wider array of uses.

A sale price has not been revealed but property listings suggested asking prices ranging from £35,000 to 50,000.