PROJECT: WEST WEMYSS THI
CONSTITUENCY: KIRKCALDY
LOCAL AUTHORITY: FIFE
AMOUNT AWARDED: £750,000
Local community focus
West Wemyss is a planned estate the origins of which are more than 500 years old. The picturesque village, defined by its 18th- and 19th-century mining heritage, had experienced continual decline for over a century prior to the townscape scheme, to the point where it had the single largest concentration of derelict listed buildings in the whole of Fife.
Almost one fifth of its buildings were derelict and a further 15 vacant. On the Main Street in the centre of the village, a continuous row of 14 listed buildings were in a state of decay. Social decline had also been striking, with the population falling from 745 in 1945 to 160 in the late 1990s. As a result, the town’s economy had been badly affected, with the closure of shops, the post office and the village pub.
It was recognised that a proactive approach was required if West Wemyss was to survive. The local planning authority convened a group comprising all interested stakeholders – including owners and community representatives – to examine the potential solutions. Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) funding was identified as a stepping-stone for attracting other funds and giving the town a new momentum.
The project had three principal elements:
restoration of nine derelict Category B listed buildings creating 13 affordable houses and a community resource centre;
reclamation and landscaping of derelict ground and upgrading of roads and footpaths; and
the repair or enhancement of other buildings in the village.
The Initiative cost £2. 1m with HLF providing a grant of £750,000. Match funding was secured from Fife Council, Scottish Enterprise Fife, Historic Scotland, Scottish Homes, Fife Environment Trust and the Eastern Scotland European Partnership. The Architectural Heritage Fund also provided a low-interest loan to help finance the project.
The scheme provided the community with a focus to unite around, with open meetings of the West Wemyss Community Council attracting 20 to 30 villagers. The THI had a significant effect on the village, securing the return of services and amenities to West Wemyss, such as the public house and the village shop. A new community resource centre has also opened. Other benefits included:
attracting tourism through the restoration and landscaping of the Fife Coastal Path;
the refurbishment of decaying and vacant buildings to provide affordable homes for sale to local people on low incomes;
maintaining the character of the village by using existing buildings and traditional materials; and
an exhibition about the village’s history and the success of the project.
All 13 houses restored by the trust have been completed and occupied, and 16 new houses have been constructed. A study by Oxford Brookes University estimates that, of the 2,000 square metres of unused floorspace in the area before the project was started, 1,200 square metres have been brought back into commercial use. It is intended that the remainder of the floorspace will be returned to use by the end of the scheme.
The revitalisation of the village has created a sense of pride in place and empowered the community to achieve sustainable results.