AN "IMPORTANT" milestone in plans to create a community hub in Dalgety Bay has been reached.

Plans for the creation of a facility were mooted several years ago and a land transfer has now taken place which, it is hoped, will allow the proposals to progress.

Dalgety Bay and Hillend Community Council confirmed that they had now completed the transfer of its land to the Dalgety Community Trust.

The area of land consists of land in the town centre between Louie Brown’s and Dalgety Parish Church and the three community woodlands, Crow Wood, Hopeward Wood and Bathing House Wood.

Confirming the news on Facebook, community council chairperson Anja Graham said: “This is a very important milestone for our community. We want the land in the town centre to be put to good use for the benefit of the community and we are really excited by the plans to develop a new community hub.

"Transfer of the land to the trust is a key step towards this, but we also wanted to future-proof the transfer to ensure that the land can only be used for the overall benefit of the community.

"The community council and I are looking forward to working closely with the trust over the coming years to realise our shared vision for our community."

Dalgety Community Trust chairperson Phil Evans added: “Transfer of the land paves the way for the trust to act upon the engagement we have already undertaken within the community regarding the creation of a new ‘Community Hub’ and ‘Civic Square’.

"People told us they wanted a much-needed focal point in the centre of the town, somewhere they could be proud of and somewhere that would create a step change in our local facilities for generations to come.

"We understand the responsibility we have to look after the land so we will not only endeavour to protect these areas for the community but will also strive to raise the funds required to deliver our plans for the benefit of everyone in our community."

Next Wednesday, members of Fife Council's South and West Fife area committee are set to approve funding of £30,000 to help with the initial phase of the project.

A report to councillors explains the community trust wish to secure the services of an architect to help deliver a "modern, imaginative and stand-out" community building.

"The proposed new facility will be built, owned and operated on behalf of the community by the trust and will replace the existing Fife Council community centre," it states.

"The vision of the trust is to go beyond what might be seen as a traditional community centre and deliver a new facility that truly meets the needs of the community, is welcoming and inclusive, somewhere that can provide a wide range of inter-generational facilities and services for decades to come."

A new 1,000 square metre facility is planned which will replace the existing Fife Council community centre which, the trust hopes, will deliver a building comprising ‘four hubs in one’.

This would include a 'social hub' – including a community cafe – to connect people and allow them to use the spaces for enjoyment; an 'interest hub' which would bring people together around specific, shared issues or interests; a 'services hub' where people can connect with and access a range of local services and an 'enterprise hub' where people can access working, meeting or trading spaces.

Included in the initial phase is development of a project brief, help to refine the initial business case for the new community hub, and producing initial architectural concepts and community engagement around the architectural concepts with the local community and other key stakeholders.