Repair work at Saline Community Centre has been delayed

Fife Council had hoped to be on site this month but they're not ready to raise the roof.

Water has been dripping into the Main Street premises and repair work, which will see the centre close for up to six months, could cost £200,000.

Service manager Raymond Johnston said: "The tender process for the roofing work at Saline Community Centre is still underway and a start date to be agreed.

Saline Community Centre will close for up to six months for repairs. (Image: Newsquest)

"Enabling works to remove overhead cables is planned for early March."

The centre is continuing to operate as normal and the council said they will inform customers once closure dates are confirmed.

The work includes replacing the leaking roof as well as new tiles, rooflights, re-rendering the building walls and new guttering and downpipes.

David Chisholm, chair of Saline Community Council, said: "The last thing we were told was it wouldn't be before the end of February but we're still waiting on actual dates.

"We've heard it's supposed to be shut for at least four months but it wouldn't be a surprise if it was longer than that.

"People are positive about the future of the centre. The value of having the food pantry there for a year has demonstrated the potential of the venue as a gathering point.

"It's very much a community-based project and there are plans for the pantry to provide other services, to do with people having enough to eat and living healthily.

"During this cold weather when people are struggling to heat their homes, it's been remarked upon that if you go down to the community centre you're hit by a wall of heat as they seem to have the heating running the whole time.

"The idea of the building being open as somewhere warm for people to sit, have a chat and make a cup of coffee is quite a popular one and we can see the potential.

"I know that's happening in other community centres but I suppose from the council's point of view they don't want to start something like that and then have to close it in two months time when the repair work begins."

There are also plans to have a community pharmacy inside the centre, the idea was first mooted in 2019, but it's been held up after an objection from Dears Pharmacy.

A hearing will have to take place but, late last year, the Scottish Government were still looking for someone to fill the long vacant role of chairperson of the National Appeals Panel.

Mr Chisholm said: "The other thing that's still up in the air is the pharmacy. I heard they've identified someone to be the chair but I don't know when they'll start going through the backlog."