Fife Councillors have approved a £4.4 million funding package for a series of improvement works set to transform Kirkcaldy High Street.

Kirkcaldy was successful in securing £2 million funding from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund back in August.

In addition, £1.5 million from Transportation Services and £650,000 from other Council Services will go towards delivering the project.

Work on the High Street is set to start in April 2010, once a contractor has been appointed.

The project will include enhancement of the pedestrianised area and the High Street west end along with a range of improvements to the public space, including visitor signing and a wi-fi pedestrian zone.

Design works will be undertaken by the Council’s Transportation Services.

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A separate tender will also be issued for the Kirkcaldy 'Green Corridor' project – the route between the town centre, bus station and railway station for pedestrian and cyclists – which will involve improvements to the public space and to the traffic arrangements in this area, in particular at the Adam Smith junction.

Works for this element of the project are anticipated to commence around September 2010.

The project which is being led by Transportation Services, in partnership with Kirkcaldy Town Centre Management and Development Services, will see the High Street element of the works completed by June 2011 and the 'Green Corridor' section complete by 2012.

Councillor Tony Martin, chair of the committee, welcomed the news that the project is imminent.

He said: "This is really positive news for Kirkcaldy and supports our strategy to create vibrant town centres. Times are tough for retailers at the moment, but this extensive project will certainly help to breathe new life into the High Street and help to make Kirkcaldy an even better place to live, work, visit and invest."

Fife Council has also submitted a number of further bids to Round Two of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund and is expecting to hear the outcome in November.

Colin Brown, Kirkcaldy Town Centre Management Chairman, said: "Given the current economic climate this is real boost for Kirkcaldy's long term prospects in providing a town centre environment that everyone can be proud of."

(GK/BMcC)