Kirkcaldy’s number one eyesore has been earmarked for demolition under radical plans for the town centre.
The unsightly Esplanade car park will go if councillors back proposals for a wholescale parking review next week.
And the nearby Thistle Street car park will also be flattened.
Both are owned by Fife Council and are under-used but have remained blots on the landscape for many years.
The plan forms part of a motion by Labour councillors Neil Crooks and Alistair Cameron and follows a major rethink of the town centre’s fortunes.
The High Street has been in decline following the loss of national retailers but Mr Cameron said the green shoots of recovery were beginning to show.
“Everybody has been waiting for the results of this review for some time,” he said.
“If you put it together with other developments on the waterfront and new owners for the Mercat, it’s a positive and common sense approach.”
Cut-price season tickets
Other suggestions put forward by the councillors include the introduction of a flat £2 fee to park all day.
Cut-price season tickets are also on the cards, along with the scrapping of charges at both Coal Wynd car parks at the east end of the High Street.
And a blanket approach to parking across all of Kirkcaldy’s council-owned car parks would simplify matters.
Meanwhile, it’s thought a barrier to stop unauthorised vehicles from entering the High Street’s pedestrianised zone would improve safety.
The council asked local people for their views on how Kirkcaldy could be improved during an extensive consultation.
Mr Cameron said the top suggestion was to get rid of the Esplanade car park.
“There’s no doubt the general consensus is it’s the number one eyesore in Kirkcaldy,” he said.
“People say it looks like a prison and they want it to go.
“We’re trying to make it a seaside town and this will help with that.”
The old swimming pool next door has already been knocked down but Mr Cameron said the site was too small to develop.
“If we take the car park down we’re looking at a far bigger space that would be easier to market,” he said.
“There would be potential for a major development.
“We do believe demolition at last would be the best idea. We have to be proactive.”
Permanent barrier
Other changes mooted include a permanent barrier outside Burtons, at the west end of the pedestrianised zone.
This could be lifted to allow blue badge holders and residents access at certain times.
But it would stop others using the street as a thoroughfare while people are shopping.
In addition, the motion proposes forcing drivers to turn right down Tolbooth Street to exit the High Street rather than carrying on to the Kirk Wynd junction.
“Disabled drivers would still have three full days but it would come down at 11am on other days,” Mr Cameron said.
“At the moment I have to go out and drag a planter across to stop cars. It’s crazy.”
He added: “There’s a lot going on in Kirkcaldy just now.
“It’s been doom and gloom for a while but it’s all starting to come together slowly but surely.
“It’s definitely very positive.
“Yes, there are a lot of keyboard warriors but in general, I think people are looking at it far more positively than they were.”
Councillors will consider the plans on Tuesday afternoon.