Former Fife primary school site transformed into 85-home community

Blacklaw Road, built on the brownfield 2.6-hectare site of the former Blacklaw Primary School which was closed and demolished more than 20 years ago, has been given a new lease of life. The development comprises 85 high-quality, affordable and energy-efficient homes complemented by enhanced streets, footpaths, landscaping, tree planting and green spaces.

The development has been built over six phases to support a manageable handover process for the housing team and enable new tenants to move in quickly to help address growing housing demand in the region.

Robertson completed a series of enabling works to address the site’s challenging topography before construction began. These included Scottish Water infrastructure upgrades, temporary drainage to safely connect to the existing network, the relocation of services, and the creation of a new site entrance, with the relocation of a bus stop.

Earthworks involved moving significant quantities of soil and rock, with 100% of the material diverted from landfill and part of it reused to build retaining structures to create garden spaces.

Blacklaw Road consists of two, three and four-bedroom houses, five-bedroom townhouses, five-bedroom specific needs houses, two and three-bedroom amenity semi-detached bungalows, and two and three-bedroom wheelchair-accessible semi-detached bungalows.

Every new home has been built to energy-efficient standards, including high-performance insulation, windows, sprinklers, and modern heating systems with A-rated boilers to reduce running costs. The development is targeting Silver Standard aspects 1 and 2 (Scottish Government Building Standards), with solar panels helping the homes achieve an EPC rating of B.

Over the course of construction, Robertson remained committed to creating lasting social and economic benefits for the local community. This included 93% of the workforce living within 30 miles of the site, prioritising SME spend and a local supply chain, and hosting 11 apprentices which saw 589 weeks of apprenticeships delivered. Robertson also supported one individual not in employment, education or training (NEET) into employment. The site also achieved the highest possible Considerate Constructors Scheme score of 45/45 twice. 

The project delivered 420 hours of support to help young people into work. Mock interviews were held, the Robertson led Ideal Candidate Programme was run, site visits and guest talks at Fife College were undertaken and work experience placements were provided for six Dunfermline High School pupils.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, Fife Council’s Housing Spokesperson, said: “It’s fantastic to see this site transformed into a thriving new neighbourhood that will make a real difference to people and families looking for a Council house in Dunfermline. These 85 high-quality houses will help meet growing housing demand while giving tenants warm, energy-efficient properties that are more affordable to run.

“What makes this development particularly special is the wider impact it has had on the local community. Alongside delivering much-needed houses, the project has supported local jobs, apprenticeships, skills development and opportunities for young people, and making sure the benefits have been felt well beyond the site itself.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing Blacklaw Road to life. Seeing a former school site given a new purpose and helping to create a strong, sustainable community is something we can all be proud of.”

Robertson Construction Eastern carried out the operational delivery of the development. Commercial Director Susan Wilson said: “We continue to work closely with Fife Council as its Affordable Housing Programme delivery partner. This is our sixth completed development handover and we are currently working on another site in Lochgelly as part of the overall programme.

“Being a partner to the Council is more than just the delivery of high-quality homes, it’s about how we can use our projects to create meaningful value for the local community through supporting the economy, developing skills and delivering benefits that extend beyond the construction. 

“We now look forward to completing our final development and continuing to support the local community.”

L-R: Michael O’Gorman, Estates manager, Fife Council; Graeme Lawtie, Operations Director, Robertson Construction Eastern; Susan Wilson, Commercial Director; Robertson Construction Eastern; Cllr Judy Hamilton, Fife Council’s Housing Spokesperson; John Baggley, Managing Director, Robertson Partnership Homes; Shaun Hendry, Project Manager, Fife Council; and Gary Grant, Clerk of Works, Fife Council.