NEW City House in Dunfermline is being emptied ahead of Fife Council's lease on the building expiring in a few weeks.

It was the flagship HQ in West Fife and the base for up to 450 members of staff but it was deemed surplus to requirements last year.

Purpose-built for the council at a cost of just under £2 million, it opened in 2005 but with more flexible working patterns it's now part of the estate they've labelled as "significantly underutilised".

A spokesperson told the Press: "The lease of the building expires in the middle of February and we're on track to have any staff remaining out of offices by then.

Dunfermline Press: New City House, on Edgar Street, was purpose-built for Fife Council at a cost of just under £2 million. It officially opened in September 2005.New City House, on Edgar Street, was purpose-built for Fife Council at a cost of just under £2 million. It officially opened in September 2005. (Image: Fife Council)

"Many staff have already moved to alternative accommodation in a variety of locations including Dunfermline City Chambers, Segal House, Halbeath depot, Pitreavie, Brunton House in Cowdenbeath, Bankhead and Fife House, Glenrothes."

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New City House was built on the site of the former Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital and brought council workers from 11 different locations together under one roof.

Now owned by an American pension fund, it's not clear what's next for the building. When it was announced the council would be vacating the premises, the convener of the City of Dunfermline area committee, Councillor James Calder, had said: "It's a shame in a sense but I think it's a sign of the times.

"There's just not the same need for large scale office space as there was in the past and property services have taken the decision that it's surplus to requirements."

In September last year, council bosses outlined the scale of the challenge in looking after their estate with the property maintenance backlog "sitting north of £300 million".

At that time a new asset management strategy for 2023-28 was approved to get rid of costly, high maintenance buildings they no longer need and focus their investment on schools and more modern facilities that are required.

Cllr Calder added: "We don't own the building. In general there's a lot of concern about vacant properties in the city centre area so I hope they put it to good use.

"We don't want to see any more derelict buildings in Dunfermline."