For those of you interested in the developments to take place at the junction of Hendry Road and Chapel Level, you can see the proposed layout of the new roundabout on this pdfs on this page: http://bit.ly/qWaBtN

Try the document called "02 - SITE PLAN"

Basically, a new roundabout will be built between where the two sets of traffic lights are just now. Hendry Road will bend round to meet at the south. A new road will be cut through the trees into Dunnikier, round the back of the electricity substation. Rosemount Avenue will be cut short, with a give-way junction onto the new road - which will be an extension of Barassie Drive.

The existing road at the end of Rosemount (between the traffic lights and Barassie) will be cut off, but the part of it will be kept in place as a service route/pathway.

Finally, Chapel Level will be dualled between the new roundabout and the lights at the bottom of Holly Brae.

These proposals are still working their way through the planning process just now, so may change/be scrapped.

That was very interesting to read, now we can actually see what is going to happen as there was so many people thinking the roundabout was at the bottom of the estate. Well done for giving us this info.

Keep up the good work

The web site is very good

The roundabout IS at the bottom of the estate and requires the cutting down of the mature trees at Rosemount Drive meaning that there will be no natural shield between the noise & sight of the roundabout & the houses on this road . The plans show that the new extension of Barassie Drive curves round the back of the electricity substation so that it doesn't have to be moved , but the saving of the substation is at the expense of the trees some of which are over 40 years old which reflects the planners lack of respect for the enviroment . I for one am not happy about the loss of this wooded area which shields the lower part of the estate from the noise & view of the road which will become a very busy/noisy roundabout & dual carriageway . Am I the only one who feels they were kept in the dark about these plans as I would have voiced my concerns in a more public fashion if given the opportunity ?

I am not a die-hard enviromentalist but this year I watched a pair of what I think are buzzards successfully rear their chicks as they have done so for over 10 years in this wooded area , not realising that this will be the last year that their nest will be there .

I totally agree with the comments above. I live in the path of the proposed new road and I am very upset that I am going to see and hear the volume of traffic this will cause. I srongly object to the trees being cut down, partly because of the wildlife and also the increase in traffic noise. I want this plan stopped.

I also agree.I stay at the bottom of turnberry Drive. I walk around these trees every day with my dog...These trees have given our estate some privacy from that busy road .The sad thing is does the developer know that there are young deer in those woods....shame on you!!!!!

This site has certainly helped my understanding of how it is going to look. Never mind the poor residents at the bottom of Dunnikier Estate what about the poor people staying in the houses and flats that run along the length of Chapel Level they have seen this road layout change dramatically in recent years and now it is going to directly impact on their lives.

Maybe if an Environmental Group was made aware of the buzzards and the deer they wouold be able to advise ?

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with the existing junctions? I don't quite understand the need for this. OK, it's a bit busy in the mornings between 8am and 9am and the evening rush hour but what main roads aren't busy at those times? The new hospital is now open and to be honest, I've not really noticed a change in traffic volume. So why spend hundreds of thousands of pounds and create lengthy disruption for months?

Agree with the comments above and feel sorry for those who will be directly affected by this (including the wildlife).

I see that a bat report has been done regarding this work however there has been no bird nesting survey done. It is illegal to disturb a wild nesting bird (Wildlife and Countryside Protection Act 1981). There are wild birds nesting in the woods at the bottom of dunnikier estate. Fife council will be breaking the law if they continue to cut down trees in this woodland. I am asking if people could please tell the relevant department about this crime. The RSPB need to confirm that no birds are nesting in these woods at this time of year in order for Fife Council to continue with the work. As I have seen birds nesting here already as some birds do nest this early, continuation of this project will now be illegal and the council need to be held responsible for the continued demise by themselves of any wildlife habitat in the town. I have informed the council and the fife free press as of today as I have only just seen the devastation as a result of a recent visit to my old hometown which I found to be grey, drab and depressing with concrete everywhere and litter all over the few areas left for wildlife in the town.

I have had experience of using this act before and have had alot of success. It is a little known Act but it is there and if there are buzzards there I would very much like to know. I am experienced in ornithology and the application of this Wildlife Act. The 1981 act was actually updated with the new animal welfare act 2006 in scotland and there is a fine of up to £5,000 or a 6 month prison sentence for anyone who disturbs a wild nesting bird. By wild, they do still mean Woodpigeons and crows as well as the more smaller less common birds. The definition of a nest in this law is simply two sticks placed on top of each other. If anyone out there nearby can see any bird actively nesting in this wood, then please contact your local Police Wildlife Liasion Officer or the RSPB as they will be aware of this law and you can get this work stopped. Unfortunately I live in Clackmannan and was visiting Kirkcaldy yesterday and I was appalled at all the concrete everywhere and the lack of green spaces and the few places that were left looked more like landfill sites with trees stuck in them than any kind of wood.

Ian Thomson is the investigations officer at the RSPB. His number is 0131 317 4187. Honestly I have had success before with this Act. At first you will probably be met with confused looks by the people with chainsaws that you are confronting as they're not sure if you're crazy or if you have a point but as soon as you mention the fine and the police wildlife liasion officer, they start to take notice. The normal police may not be aware of this law as I have found out but they must still come out and warn the people cutting down the trees of this Act. I've even met so called Tree Surgeons with decades of experience who claim not to know of this act but they sure shut up when the police turn up. You can get this work stopped legally by using this law, please contact me on johnctm@ashter.fsnet.co.uk if you have any questions about this.

Hi Mandy,

Thanks for posting the information. In addition to the RSPB, Fife Police also have Wildlife and Environmental Crime Officers.

From what I understand, the tree cutting is now complete. I'm not sure the details of the preparatory work, but I do remember reading in the Fife Free Press that a local councillor had asked that the cutting be carried out as early as possible before the main nesting season.

They brought the whole lot of trees down very quickly - took just a few days. I also see from the planning application that they are going to plan 2 trees for every 1 they fell. This will include planting a large section of trees over the other side of Chapel Level - roughly where Hendry Road currently is. Don't know how long these will take to grow to any decent size, though.

One other concern that people have raised is that the strip of remaining trees are fairly exposed, and more are likely to come down in high winds.

I've been told that this is not the first time this section of trees has been cut back - the trees used to extend right up to Rosemount Avenue road. They were trimmed back to protect the houses opposite, and replaced with grass.

Hi Neil, thanks very much for that:) I wish I'd read that sooner as I've just spoken to the Police Wildlife Liasion Officer and he's on his way to the site right now!! I'm also waiting on a Paula Napier 'phoning me back. I'm told she's in charge of the project. I didn't realise that they'd finished all the tree cutting. I've lived in Dunnikier Estate since 1980 up until 1990 when I moved out of my parents' house but they're still there and there have been load of changes.

The trees that were felled when I looked yesterday looked awful. They've really exposed the other trees to the high winds. I'm glad to hear that they intend to plant one tree for every two that they cut down but where are they going to plant them and what kind of tree will they be. Through where I stay they plants lots of trees and they get grants specifically to do that but the ones they plant are always useless ones that birds never use! I've lost count of the number of beach hedges that I've seen in my area aswell. They're planted so far apart that they'll never meet up to form a proper hedge and they're so low down and regularly trimmed that no birds can nest in them. I guess they're the cheapest ones!! I suppose we've just got to be grateful that they're making a small effort!

I was just wondering about the area that you mentioned where they intend to plant more trees. Isn't a mosque going to be built on that piece of land or has the planning for that not gone through yet? The mosque probably won't interfere with the newly replanted tree area but perhaps the carpark that will be required for the mosque might have to use that piece of ground and then Fife council have their get out clause for not spending money planting replacement trees whilst still looking like the good guys. After all they did say they would plant trees and they'll claim that they didn't know that the mosque would encompass this area.

This wouldn't be the first time that the council have done something like this and sneakily got out of prior commitments. I was their scapegoat a few years ago and they made themselves out to be the good guys and my group were the bad ones. They play a very mean game whilst appearing so nice and concerned on the surface. Goodness knows what the "green wildlife corridor" at the back of my mum and dad's house in dunnikier estate will look like but it seems to get smaller year by year and the 5 deer that go up and down that field everyday are going to be hemmed in to a very small area:(

Paula Napier who I was told is in charge of this project told me that a survey of the area had been done regarding nesting birds but I've just sent her an email as I can't see that any survey has been done to see what species use these woods and if there are any unusual rare birds using these woods. She has only had a bat survey done and I suspect that she is just hoping that that will be sufficient. It isn't. The PWLO was very nice and said he was going to go and remind the people who cut down the trees for the council about this law and that as nesting season has started already they can no longer cut down trees without a prior check being made for nesting birds. Paula Napier said that there will be no more tree felling in this area now.

See this map: http://t.co/BHh56uWx

The area where the new trees will be grown is to the east of the new road. There are currently posts marking out the line of where Hendry Road is being moved to. Some of the existing road will be left as an "access strip" but the rest will be planted with trees.

The Mosque will be to the south/west of the road - north of the existing Islamic centre.

Thanks for that Neil, I did check the link that you put in your first post but couldn't see the writing on the map! thank you for setting up this site.

re the nesting birds: they are sparrow hawks, which nest in the said trees every year. I look forward to the young flying the nest and circling the area for several weeks from July onwards, often visiting the local gardens. I'll be very sad if they don't nest from now on dueto the shrinkage of their habitat, especially as, as already been mentioned, there doesn't seem to be a need for a roundabout.