Fife has recorded its best employment land development figure since 1999.

The area’s Employment Land Audit has announced the development of an extra 36.95 hectares (3.9m sq ft) in 2012; an increase of approximately 24 hectares (2.6m sq ft) since 2011.

The news comes as Fife looks towards future developments like the proposed Diageo storage facility to be located at Begg Farm, Kirkcaldy.

The Diageo development will be 27 hectares (3m sq ft) in size and the largest bonded warehouse in Europe with another £200m of investment, making the Fife complex their biggest in Scotland.

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The council keeps a record of allocated employment sites in the area.

Invest in Fife are then able to identify suitable locations for new ventures, while Fife Council’s Economic Development team can then determine areas where there is a lack of suitable land supply.

Councillor Kay Carrington, executive member for Business, Enterprise, Economy and Planning commented on the findings of the Audit Report and said: "Results of 2012 Employment Land audit hails the best year in past 12 years for take-up of employment land in Fife.

"This includes major projects such as Amazon in Dunfermline, but also 14 local businesses that have been able to develop including the relocation of Netherton Tractors from Eastfield Industrial Estate to a purpose built unit located in Wheatstone Place, Glenrothes. This is especially welcome news in the current climate of economic uncertainty."

The Employment Land Audit for 2012 provides a detail of the status and availability of all the employment land in Fife.

It also details the development of employment land in Fife during the audit period, 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2012.

(IT)