BREAD rolls and 143 homes are set to rise in Rosyth after plans for development were approved.

A bakery extension at Stephens HQ on Primrose Lane and a new housing estate to the north of their site have now been agreed by Fife Council.

The plans include 36 affordable homes as well as new internal roads, areas of open space, a play park, 'character areas', three SUDS (sustainable urban drainage system) basins and 131 new trees, more than replacing the 23 to be cut down.

J Smart and Co from Edinburgh are the contractors and they first unveiled the proposals in 2017, with public consultation events in the town.

The site in Camdean is 17 hectares of grassland to the north of the Primrose Lane Industrial Estate, with residential properties to the west at Whinnyburn Place and to the east at Jutland Street.

The bakery extension had already got the go-ahead from council officers and the recommendation to the west and central planning committee last Wednesday was to agree the housing element.

There were 10 objections from the public, with local residents concerned about privacy, increase in traffic, road safety, noise, parking, overlooking, flooding, loss of greenspace and the impact on wildlife.

Dunfermline Press: The area of grassland, to the north of Stephens Bakery head offices in Rosyth, that will be turned into a new housing estate.The area of grassland, to the north of Stephens Bakery head offices in Rosyth, that will be turned into a new housing estate. (Image: Google Maps)

However, the west and central planning committee approved the application.

Councillors were reminded that planning permission in principle is already in place, it was agreed in 2019 with the final approval following in 2020 after a legal agreement was reached, requiring the developer to pay £1.1 million to Fife Council.

And a report to the committee explained: "The general layout of the site is acceptable and the grid pattern helps avoid the use of cul-de-sacs and provides a well connected and permeable site.

"The development would not adversely affect existing or future residential amenity."

Access into the site will be taken from Primrose Lane, from a new access that has already been constructed, and there will be pedestrian and cycle 'connections' throughout the site.

An acoustic barrier will be built to protect new residents from noise from the bakery extension.

Initially it had been thought that a 1.8 metres high barrier would be enough but a second assessment, showing a "significant" increase in the potential noise levels, means it will now be up to five metres high.

It will be 10 to 20 metres away from the homes and trees will also be planted to assist with screening.

As part of the legal agreement, the developer will pay £570,524 for strategic transport contributions, £412,556 for additional secondary school capacity and £204,884 towards the cost of a two-classroom extension at Camdean Primary School.