Fife primary school extension planned in response to new housing developments

A Fife primary school could be extended to cope with an increase in pupils from new housing developments.

Coaltown of Balgonie Primary will receive one extra classroom and a sensory room if a planning application is approved.

Ancillary accommodation is also included in the bid submitted to Fife Council.

The village school currently has eight pupils and eight members of staff.

And the proposed extension will provide space for more than 30 extra children and two new staff members.

The move follows applications for two significant housing schemes in the village, one of which has already been approved.

Eighty houses were given the go-ahead for land north of Queen’s Meadow in July last year.

And a further 102 homes are proposed south of Millburn Avenue.

Housing developer to pay towards primary school extension

Together, the applications will significantly increase the population of Coaltown of Balgonie, which has just over 1,000 residents.

Atmore Easy Living Developments, the Fife firm behind the Queen’s Meadow plan, has agreed a financial contribution towards the primary school extension.

And the developer involved in the second scheme will almost certainly be asked to reach a similar agreement.

The application lodged for the school extension says: “The single storey extension will address capacity roll pressures and projections due to housing developments.

“It is anticipated it will be needed from August 2025.”

If approved, the school, which dates from the 19th century, will have a total of five classrooms.

Meanwhile, the primary school in nearby Milton of Balgonie closed in August.