FIFE COLLEGE
HALBEATH CAMPUS
DUNFERMLINE
KY11 8DY
FOR SALE
- Brownfield development opportunity
- Attractive and highly accessible site
- Range of retail and leisure facilities nearby
- New primary and secondary schools in close proximity
- Site area – approx. 25.5 acres (10.3 hectares)
- Vacant possession available from Q1 2026
- Offers invited
A new city with a rapidly growing population
Dunfermline is an historic former town and Royal Burgh located in south-west Fife, which was granted city status in 2022. It is located approximately 18 miles north-west of Edinburgh, 39 miles north-east of Glasgow, 28 miles south of Perth and 23 miles east of Stirling. Fife’s other major towns of Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes lie some 14 miles and 18 miles to the north-east respectively and St Andrews is 38 miles to the north-east. The City lies in the Forth Bridgehead area with the Queensferry Crossing (new road bridge), Forth Road Bridge (public transport and taxis) and the Forth Rail Bridge located about 7 miles to the south.
The City’s population has grown rapidly in recent years, mainly due to significant new house building in the Eastern Expansion area. It is now a popular location for commuters to Edinburgh and the wider Central Belt. Dunfermline’s population is approximately 58,500, with the city now overtaking Glenrothes and approaching Kirkcaldy as Fife’s largest settlement.
The property is situated within the Halbeath area of Dunfermline, approximately 2½ miles east of Dunfermline city centre, south-west of the roundabout junction between Halbeath Road and Pittsburgh Road.
WELL CONNECTED
Transport communications are excellent. The property lies a short distance west of Junction 3 on the M90, connecting it with the A92 (to Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes), the A907 Halbeath Road (to Dunfermline city centre) and Sanderling Way (to the Eastern Expansion area). The M90 (and A90) connect to Edinburgh to the south and Perth and Dundee to the north, with journey times of approximately 35 minutes, 30 minutes and 55 minutes respectively.
Queen Margaret train station lies about 1 mile (15 minutes’ walk) to the west, with a journey time of under 40 minutes to Edinburgh on the Fife Circle route. Local bus services are provided mainly by Stagecoach; with inter-city/long-distance services by Megabus, Park’s of Hamilton and Citylink stopping nearby at Halbeath Park & Ride, located on the east side of the M90.
Edinburgh Airport is 16 miles to the south, with flights to over 150 destinations worldwide including 17 UK airports.
Surrounded by retail and leisure
The surrounding area is mixed-use including residential, retail, leisure/hospitality and motor trade. There is existing housing to the east and south (new build); also to the east is a Spar store. There is a Holiday Inn Express to the north-west and NHS Fife’s Lynebank Hospital is to the west. Halbeath Retail Park lies to the north, anchored by Asda and with other occupiers including B&M, Tapi, Carpetright, Currys, Halfords, Argos and Pets at Home. There is a small modern neighbourhood retail development to the north-east including Costa and Burger King drive-thru’s together with units occupied by Greggs, Stephens Bakery and Indigo Sun. To the north-east is Halbeath Business Park comprising four office pavilions together with a Sterling retail warehouse and Travelodge hotel.
Fife Leisure Park lies to the east close to Junction 3 and includes Carlton Bingo, Holywood Bowl, Bannatynes, Odeon, Dobbies, Adventure Golf Island and Premier Inn together F&B outlets occupied by the Sweet Chestnut pub (Marston’s), Nando’s, Smashburger, Starbucks, McDonalds, Frankie & Benny’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Tim Hortons, Christies, Five Guys and Tony Macaroni. Fife Motor Park lies on the east side of the M90 with VW, Skoda, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota and Honda franchises.
Amazing new school and college development
Fife College is relocating to the new Dunfermline Learning Campus a short distance to the south-east, which also accommodates the recently opened Woodmill High School and St Columbus RC High School. The new Carnegie Primary School lies immediately to the south of the property.
The Site
The site slopes down from south to north, with fine views to the north. There are access points from the north (Halbeath Road) and east (Pittsburgh Road). The existing college buildings are concentrated at the north-east section of the site. The property also includes Carnegie Conference Centre at the western section, which benefits from a separate roundabout access shared with the neighbouring Holiday Inn Express.
There is a Busy Bees children’s nursery towards the north of the site which will remain in-situ and is excluded from the sale. Access and services to such will need to be retained. Carnegie Primary School lies immediately to the south.
We estimate that the site area is approximately 25.5 acres (10.3 hectares).
We are advised that the principal buildings on the Campus provide the following approximate Gross Internal Areas:
| Building | Floor | GIA sq m | GIA sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Building | Ground | 8,715 | 93,808 |
| First | 2,650 | 28,525 | |
| Second | 1,160 | 12,486 | |
| Sub-total | 12,525 | 134,819 | |
| Media Centre | Ground | 1,180 | 12,702 |
| Boiler House | Ground | 125 | 1,356 |
| Gas Cottage | Ground | 100 | 1,076 |
| Carnegie Conference Centre | Ground | 2,200 | 23,681 |
| First | 500 | 5,382 | |
| Second | 820 | 8,826 | |
| Sub-total | 3,520 | 37,889 | |
| Garages | Ground | 50 | 538 |
| Total | 17,500 | 188,380 |
PLANNING
Under the Fife Local Development Plan, adopted in 2017 (‘FIFEplan’), the subjects lie within Dunfermline’s settlement boundary and are allocated as a School or Further Education Campus. Policy 1: Development Principles is a ‘gateway policy’ and supports the principle of development at the site, subject to the detailed assessment criteria set out at Part B. Policy 2: Homes supports housing development on allocated sites and on other sites provided the proposal is compliant with the policies for the location. There is a 25% affordable housing requirement.
The subsequent NPF4 (2023) generally supports development on brownfield land, amongst other things, and will inform the replacement LDP for Fife. The property does not lie within a conservation area and there are no listed buildings on the site.
EPC
The Main Campus has an EPC rating of ‘D’, whilst Carnegie Conference Centre and the Media Centre have EPC ratings of ‘C’ and ‘E’ respectively.
OFFERS
Fife College is inviting offers for their heritable (‘ownership’) interest in the property. Vacant possession is scheduled for Q1 2026 after the College relocates to their new campus.
A closing date may be set in due course – interested parties are encouraged to register their interest with Montagu Evans. Fife College is not obliged to accept the highest or any offer and reserves the right to sell the property without reference to any other party.
VAT
The College has opted to tax Carnegie Conference Centre, therefore VAT will be due on its sale price. It is understood that the sale of the Main Campus will be exempt from VAT.
Anti-Money Laundering
To comply with AML regulations, we are obliged to undertake appropriate due diligence on prospective purchasers before progressing any transaction.
LEGAL COSTS
Each party will be responsible for their own legals costs; the purchaser will be liable for registration dues, LBTT and VAT.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
A package of technical information is available to download from the DATAROOM and includes the following:
- Title Plan
- Floor Plans
- Ground Engineering Desktop Report
- Flood Risk Assessment
- Transport Appraisal
- Arboricultural Constraints Assessment (tree survey)
- Existing Services Plan
- Pre Demolition Areas of Steep Ground (plan)
- Asbestos register
- Planning Briefing Note
- EPCs
VIEWINGS
As the Campus is still currently occupied by Fife College, viewings should be arranged in advance with Montagu Evans.
CONTACT
Keith Hutchison
T: 07867 655 594
E: keith.hutchison@montagu-evans.co.uk
Scott Zanre
T: 07867 169 410
E: scott.zanre@montagu-evans.co.uk
Euan Jarvis
T: 07385 504 825
E: euan.jarvis@montagu-evans.co.uk
The Agents for themselves and for the vendors or lessors of this property whose agents they are give notice that: (i) the particulars are set out as a general outline only for the guidance of the intended purchasers or lessees and do not constitute, nor constitute part of, an offer or contract; (ii) all descriptions, dimensions, reference to condition and necessary permissions for use and occupation, and other details are given without responsibility and any intending purchasers or tenants should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of each of them; (iii) no person in the employment of the Agents has any authority to make or give any representations or warranty whatever in relation to this property.
January 2024. Produced by Designworks.