FIFE Council aim to sell the land for housing once the old St Columba's and Woodmill buildings have been demolished and the sites cleared.

There has long been a question about what would happen with the land and the confirmation that it'll be used for development has sunk hopes of a new sports and leisure facility, including a swimming pool, to compensate the Abbeyview community for the loss of the schools.

Councillor Gavin Ellis has called for the money from the sale of the sites to stay in the area while there are questions about the impact of more housing on primary school capacity and the prospect of additional traffic at the already busy Halbeath Road / Linburn Road junction.

The local authority's cabinet committee confirmed today that the go-ahead has been given to knock down the buildings, on either side of Woodmill Road, with the new St Columba's and Woodmill high schools set to open at Dunfermline Learning Campus next week.

The council's education spokesperson, Councillor Cara Hilton, welcomed the agreement to demolish: "We want to move quickly, regenerate this land for the benefit of the local community and ultimately provide much needed new housing in the area."

Demolition work on the 33 acre site is expected to start in the next few weeks and be completed by Spring 2025.

The council said "it's hoped the land will then be sold for new housing development".

Head of the property services team, Alan Paul, explained: "Early demolition of these buildings is important to stop the risk of them becoming targets for vandalism and eyesores for the local community.

"A cleared site, ready for development, is also more attractive to any potential investors so we'll be aiming to get these buildings down as quickly as possible.

"Modular buildings on the site will be relocated to Balwearie High School and Castlehill Primary School and any other equipment that can be re-used will be saved and recycled."

Open evenings and events were arranged so that former pupils and members of the local community were able to pay a final visit to their former schools.

And artefacts from both buildings - including a war memorial, several very large stone pieces and a statue of St Columba - are also being rehomed at Dunfermline Learning Campus.

Last September Cllr Ellis, who represents Dunfermline North, had said local people wanted a swimming pool, and not more houses and cars, when it came to the future use of the school sites.

He pointed out the pool at Woodmill will not be replaced - there's not one at the new campus either - while the pool at Inverkeithing High could also be lost when the current school closes in two years time.

He said: "There is good sporting provision at the new campus but we're severely lacking wet-side facilities.

"It didn't necessarily have to be a full sports and leisure centre but with the Carnegie Leisure Centre still struggling to cope, we need a new swimming pool, especially if we're trying to encourage more P1 to P4 kids to learn to swim.

"It's clear residents - and local councillors - wanted more swimming facilities and they're not getting it."

He continued: "And what happens with the money when they sell the land for housing?

"Local businesses in Abbeyview will lose out as the schools are moving so that money should be spent on facilities for the benefit of the community."

Cllr Ellis said there's also an issue about schooling for kids in the new houses, and other homes that are being built in the area, pointing out that Carnegie PS is full and can't be extended.

Last year the catchment was changed as the school doesn't have enough spaces for all the kids living in its catchment area.

The Conservative councillor said development will also lead to more traffic on what are already very congested roads.

He concluded: "There are definitely lots of questions that need to be asked about this and the council should have been more upfront about their intentions."