A Community Heritage Struggle

Background and Early Efforts

Since the launch of the first Community Action Plan in 2016, Burntisland Heritage—working in partnership with the Community Council—has strived to keep the Burgh Chambers in community use. In 2019, a Business Development Plan was produced, funded by money raised by the Community Council in collaboration with Fife Council. This plan proposed developing the building’s ground floor for commercial purposes, which would in turn subsidise the community use of the upper floor. However, the development costs amounted to millions of pounds, and it quickly became apparent that this was a project beyond the Community Council’s capabilities.

Transition to Burntisland Heritage Trust and SCIO Status

By 2021, Burntisland Heritage Trust, again working closely with Fife Council and the Community Council, assumed responsibility for the development proposals. The plan was to change the Trust’s governance structure, becoming a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). This transformation would allow the Trust to take on larger projects and borrow significant funds while protecting its members from financial risk. The transition to SCIO status was successfully completed during 2021.

Funding Challenges and Setbacks

Encouraged by Fife Council, the Trust applied for ‘Levelling-Up’ funding in 2021. Unfortunately, by the end of 2022, it became clear that their application had been unsuccessful. Of the £19 million allocated to Fife, all funding went to Glenrothes and Levenmouth, leaving the Burgh Chambers project without crucial financial support.

Impact of the Pandemic and Business Plan Reassessment

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic brought about a succession of lockdowns, leading to significant changes in the work environment and economic circumstances. The Trust recognised that the original business proposals would need to be updated to reflect these new realities. Given their longstanding positive relationship with Fife Historic Buildings Trust (FHBT), Burntisland Heritage approached them to assist in updating the Business Plan. At the end of 2023, Fife Council formally requested FHBT to re-assess the previous Options Appraisal in the current context, undertake new stakeholder consultations, and make recommendations for next steps and potential funding. This reassessment project was scheduled to continue until June 2024, with the Heritage Trust working closely alongside FHBT throughout the process.

Shifting Priorities and New Challenges

Between 2021 and 2023, changes within Fife Council led to a reorganisation of the Communities Directorate, with management of Halls and Centres moving away from the Kirkcaldy Area team. The Trust sensed that the Council’s focus was shifting from retaining the building in community ownership to seeking its disposal. Although FHBT’s report was handed over to the Council in September 2023, the situation changed again in 2024 when there was successful interest in bringing a Banking Hub to the town, to be housed in the old Local Office below the Burgh Chambers. While this development benefited the town, it disrupted the Trust’s existing Business Plan. The Banking Hub's £19.8k annual income won't begin until January 2027 and is insufficient for the BHT or any local group to maintain the building.

Adopting a Phased Approach and the Spire Project

From the outset, the consensus was that a phased approach would be the most practical way to manage such an ambitious project, given the scale of the investment required. It was decided to prioritise the reinstatement of the building’s spire as a high-profile initiative to attract public attention. Early in 2025, the Trust applied to Fife Council’s Community Recovery Fund, ‘You Decide’, and successfully secured £15,000 to appoint a project manager. This role would involve engaging heritage experts to assess the condition of the spire stone currently in storage, refreshing project documentation and costings, identifying potential funding sources, and applying for grants to support the spire’s reinstatement. However, moving forward required formal permission from Fife Council.

Council’s Position and Subsequent Developments

A meeting was arranged with Fife Council Property Services, where it was reiterated that Burntisland Burgh Chambers did not feature in the Council’s Ten-Year Plan. The preferred option for the building was confirmed as disposal, and it was suggested that the £15,000 grant would be better used to develop a business plan for Burntisland Heritage or partners to take over the building. The Trust explained that they lacked any regular income and had limited resources, further hampered by the fact that extensive repairs—costing hundreds of thousands of pounds as identified in the 2025 Refresh Report—were needed. Frustratingly, the long-advocated phased approach was being dismissed, despite it remaining the recommended strategy in the most recent 2024/25 Refresh Report. Although reinstating the Clock Tower is a planning condition and has political support, the Spire and Burgh Chambers are not in the Fife Council Capital Plan. Politicians should ensure the Burgh Chambers redevelopment is included as a community hub in the next Capital Plan update.

Marketing, Building Condition, and Heritage Concerns

In recent months, Graham and Sibbald surveyed the premises and were tasked with marketing the building commercially. Burntisland Heritage’s preference has always been for the Burgh Chambers to remain in public ownership and continue serving the community. After ten years of effort, we have reluctantly decided to withdraw from advocating for public ownership. We hope that whoever buys the building will care for it and help bring prosperity and energy to our High Street.

Currently, the building is without heating, and the water supply has been temporarily cut off. The Chambers house several artworks and artefacts belonging to the town, all of which are at risk of rapid deterioration. There are reports of discussions between Fife Council and On-Fife (Museums & Libraries) to move these objects to Glenrothes—a move strongly opposed by the Trust. Notably, three ship models, gifted by Burntisland Shipyard Ltd. in 1950, have already been relocated to Glenrothes. The Trust has been told that their return would require completing an application and meeting On-Fife’s stringent storage standards.

Protecting Local Heritage

The paintings and other artefacts in the Burgh Chambers represent the town’s heritage and that of future generations. Burntisland’s identity has gradually eroded over the past forty years, and the permanent removal of these items would be a final insult. It is imperative that these artefacts remain in Burntisland, accessible for all residents to appreciate and enjoy.