Fife Council refuse listed cottage plans in Low Valleyfield

Sally-Anne Featherstone submitted applications for Westend Cottage, on Main Street, which included two new extensions, a replacement roof and windows, the partial demolition of boundary walls, the formation of new openings and internal alterations.

She said the building was a "danger to public safety" until she took steps to minimise the risk and that the council "failed in their duty" to protect the category B listed property before she bought it. 

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However her refurbishment plans were refused by councillors, and enforcement action supported, in the "interests of preserving the character and historical integrity" of the cottage, which dates back to the 18th century.

Photos of the B-listed cottage in Low Valleyfield were shown at the west and central planning committee last week. (Image: Fife Council)

Miss Featherstone said: "I am trying to save a listed building which has been poorly treated over the past four decades; where the council have failed in their duty to protect it and are now failing to support an applicant trying to put that building back correctly for future generations at her own expense."

At the west and central planning committee last week, council planner Emma Baxter said "unconsented works" have already taken place with the roof removed and walls partly knocked down.

A report said the cottage dates back to the 1750s although it underwent significant works in the 1980s.

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Miss Featherstone told the Press: "The council are well aware that I cannot reinstate a roof until planning consent is granted. 

"The roof collapsed as consented works were being undertaken this summer. 

Before and after. Fife Council planners said boundary walls at the Low Valleyfield property had been partially demolished without permission. (Image: Fife Council)

"This was due to the unconsented work which took place in the 1980s, when the roof and single brick extensions were added without listed building consent, without planning permission or enforcement action. 

"This meant the roof was not actually attached to the gables. 

"The building was a danger to public safety and has been secured by me to ensure the risk is minimised. 

"This is all known to the council and at present I cannot reinstate a roof until planning is agreed and I have something to attach the roof to."

Consent was granted earlier this year for some works, including the removal of two single storey extensions.

Ms Baxter said: "Whilst it is acknowledged that the property did have two previous extensions they were much smaller in scale and that meant they weren't readily visible from the surrounding area."

She said the applicant's plans were for two-storey extensions which would be "much larger".

The committee was told that the council's built heritage officer and Historic Environment Scotland were supportive, "in principle", of the building being refurbished but neither supported the current plans "due to concerns over the scale and massing of the two extensions which would be considered to significantly detract from the cottage as the B listed structure".

Ms Baxter added that there was "an enforcement case ongoing at the moment".

Cllr Derek Glen said: "The building as it stands at the moment is in a sorry state and nowhere near what it was when it was given its listed status."

The two applications, for planning permission and listed building consent, were unanimously refused by the committee.