KINGDOM Housing Association has been given the green light to turn the former Fife Council headquarters in Dunfermline into affordable housing. 

Plans were first submitted back in April and have now been given approval to turn the New City House offices into flatted dwellings as well as alterations to install replacement doors, windows, solar panels, replacement lightwell roof, erection of bin storage, landscaping works and installation of electric vehicle charging upstands. 

The site was the council's 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 was part of the estate they've labelled as "significantly underutilised".

Now that plans are approved, the site will house a residential area as well as a mix of two and three-bedroom units. 

In approving this application, a Fife Council planning officer stated: "The application proposal would result in the sustainable reuse of a large, vacant former office building, which is located close to the centre of Dunfermline.

"Minimal external changes are proposed to the building itself with no significant residential amenity concerns being raised.

"The central location of the application property would facilitate local living which would help reduce the reliance on the private car.

"The proposal is therefore in compliance with relevant National Planning Framework 4 and FIFEplan policies and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions."