PLANS for a road bridge over the Fife Circle and a £20 million-plus bypass are on the move after Fife Council confirmed they HAVE bought a 'ransom strip' of land.

The small stretch of Kingseat Road, from behind Halbeath Retail Park to the level crossing, will become the start of a key transport route in Dunfermline and linked to housing expansion in and around the city.

The council have been trying to buy the land for the Northern Link Road (NLR) for years and, asked earlier this month if a deal had been concluded with owners Royal London, they responded that they were "progressing well with the land required to deliver this project".

However, they have now moved to clarify the position and stated that they bought the strip in March and "could have been clearer" in the statement to the Press.

READ MORE: 'Final ride' as bikers pay tribute to Dunfermline man killed in car crash

Kevin Treadwell, service manager, added: "The land is needed for a bridge that will be built over the Fife Circle railway line.

"It will form the first section of the NLR and will connect to Taylor Wimpey's development, who will be building the next section of the NLR from the bridge, through their site, to Kingseat Road.

"The sections of the NLR which the council will deliver are being funded by developers.”

Dunfermline Press: The Halbeath level crossing will be closed overnight for 'essential track repairs'.

The road will head north from Kingseat Road and run through the Taylor Wimpey site - they're building 1,400 homes and a primary school on farmland between Halbeath and Kingseat - and then by Townhill and on to serve the new housing estates in and around Wellwood.

It's also designed to take traffic away from the city centre and it will come out to the west of Dunfermline at Milesmark.

READ MORE: Ex-councillor claims drivers are speeding through Newmills at 'over 60mph'

In 2017 the cost of the bypass was given as £20m, it's accepted it will be higher now and the council said an update will be given when they're further down the line with their plans.

The council aim to put in an application for the bridge later this year.

All going well, they'll start work in mid-2025 and "costs will be updated at the point the project tender returns".

The land at Kingseat Road was referred to as a 'ransom strip' because it was owned by Royal London, who own the retail park and had plans approved for a nine-shop extension - including Lidl and an M&S Foodhall - in 2017.

However it hasn't progressed.

One of the conditions of the planning permission that Royal London agreed to was a £700,000 contribution towards transport improvements in the area, which would be needed to cope with the increase in traffic to the park extension.

They offered to “guarantee access to the land” needed for the NLR if the council waived the sum.

Royal London then changed their mind and said they would make the financial contribution, but withdrew the offer of access to the land, which the council described as "disappointing" and said would hold up the delivery of the new road.

A later appeal against paying the sum was rejected by the council.