THE £8 MILLION refurbishment of Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre will see the in-house nursery move out for up to 18 months.

And Fife Council have now submitted plans which will see the early years facility temporarily relocate next to the Maxwell Centre while the works are carried out.

A change of use application is in and a modular building will be erected in the car park, with the loss of 14 spaces, as well as an outdoor play area.

Central Fife Times: The nursery that's currently in Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre will relocate next to the Maxwell Centre for up to 18 months. The nursery that's currently in Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre will relocate next to the Maxwell Centre for up to 18 months. (Image: Google Maps)

A planning statement said: "Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, in partnership with Fife Council and Fife Cultural Trust, aim to upgrade Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre to establish an integrated hub that blends leisure and cultural offerings, creating a vibrant community environment for the residents of Fife.

"The refurbishment works scheduled to take place include a new replacement flexible space library, upgrade of gym and external sports and wet area facilities, providing integrated services of leisure and cultural spaces."

The leisure centre will close from April next year and the works are expected to take 12 to 18 months.

The plans for the temporary nursery show two playrooms, one for two-year-olds and the other for three- and four-year-olds, as well as toilets, changing areas, entrance and cloakroom, a staff room and a new door entry system.

Outside there will be a secure play area, new fencing, gates and CCTV.

The nursery, a short walk from the current facility, will go between the Maxwell centre and Our Lady and St Bride's RC Church on Stenhouse Street.

It will still operate from 8am to 6pm, 52 weeks of the year, and will have capacity for 10 two-year-olds and 24 kids aged three and four.

The 16 parking spaces currently on site will be reduced to two with the area required just over 970 square metres in size.

The Maxwell Centre will remain open as normal and the site returned to its previous use when the nursery moves back into the refurbished leisure centre.

The library on High Street will also shut and relocate into the centre, hopefully in the Autumn of 2025.

Fife Council have set aside £7.8m for the project and there's £250,000 from the education and children's services for the relocation of the library.