Ore Valley Housing Association

The Miners Institute is a grade B listed building with many fine features. The building was built in 1923 by the Coalboard Welfare Trust. The building is ‘Free Baroque’ style with a fine Venitian window and a war memorial built into the front above the door. In the past it has been used as a general meeting place, as well as a venue for weddings, a library and a community centre.

Following a period of fifteen years when the building was not in use, floors and ceilings had collapsed and extensive rot permeated the building. The future of the Institute was far from secure and demolition was one of the options considered. Through collaboration between Fife HARCA, Fife Council and the Lochgelly Old Peoples Welfare Committee, ownership of the building was secured by Fife Council. A partnership was established involving Fife HARCA, Fife Council and the Heritage Building Preservation Trust to develop options and proposals for the building.

One of the options considered during this period was the establishment of a training centre in Lochgelly and discussions were held with Fife Women’s Technology Centre who developed the idea for a training centre and established the vision for the provision of community based technology training within Lochgelly. FWTC were also successful in bringing Adam Smith College into the development of the project, resulting in a viable use for the Lochgelly Miners Institute building.

Heritage Building Preservation Trust carried out a major exercise in attracting grant funding from a wide range of sources including ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), Historic Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Coalfields Regeneration Trust and the Robertson Trust. Fife Council provided some of the funding through the Regeneration Outcome Agreement, Ore Valley Housing Association secured funding from Communities Scotland’s Wider Role Fund and Fife HARCA raised some private financing all of which contributed to the restoration project which was completed at a cost approaching £2.5 million.

Before...

After...

The completed building has been leased by Fife HARCA to Adam Smith College & Fife Women’s Technology Centre who provide courses aimed at enhancing existing skills and getting people into employment in a range of disciplines including plumbing, electrical engineering, and information technology.

The restoration work was completed under the guidance of Heritage Building Preservation Trust and Architects Dearle & Henderson (now ECD Architects) and the physical building work was completed by local contractor Richard Street Ltd., part of the Realm Group based in Lochgelly.

Andrew Saunders Ore Valley HA & Fife HARCA Director commented:

‘This project has been extremely complex and much of the work was undertaken in the years leading up to the  restoration works starting on site. It is clear that none of the partners could have delivered this project on their own, much is spoken of the benefits of positive partnership and I think that this is a very good practical example of a project being delivered successfully based on the participation of a range of partners including Fife HARCA, Fife Council, Heritage Building Preservation Trust, Adam Smith College, Fife Women’s Technology Centre and project funders. 

The involvement of the Realm Group and their commitment to the regeneration of Lochgelly has undoubtedly been beneficial in adding value to the project in terms of their expertise and the contribution they make to local employment and the local economy. 

The restoration of the Miners Institute as a local training centre is a major step forward in the regeneration of Lochgelly Town Centre, which will benefit the general development of the town”.