Application

APPLICATION 01/03170/EFULL - REGISTERED 22/11/01

RELAXATION OF CONDITION 6 OF CONSENT 08/97/0029D, TO ALLOW THE CLOSURE OF THE COASTAL FOOTPATH AND ALTERNATIVE ROUTE DURING SPECIFIED PERIODS

Statement

Mr Alan Blackie
Development Control Technician
Fife Council County Buildings
St Catherine Street
Cupar
KY15 4TA
20 November 2001

Dear Mr Blackie

Further to our telephone discussion, I enclose the documentation requested. You additionally requested a statement summarising reasons for reconsideration and time periods of closure, which is as follows:

“Kingsbarns Golf Links has been selected to co-host the Dunhill Links Championship, and in compliance with health and safety measures, it is strongly recommended that the coastal footpath routes within the boundaries of the golf course are closed during the tournament period. In recent years the tournament has been played during the month of October, however we are not yet in a position to give exact dates as they have not been released. We will of course advise of these dates as soon as they become available”

I trust that gives you sufficient documentation to proceed with out application, however should you require anything additional, please do not hesitate to call.

Yours sincerely

Stuart McEwen

General Manager

Supporting Documents - material presented at public planning meeting

1. Request for formal support from Fife Police

Marked Private and Confidential but now in public domain

TO: Insp. John Pow, Fife Constabulary

FROM: Ross Hallett, IMG

DATE: 23 April 2002

RE: Dunhill Links Championship

Dear John,

As discussed last week we have been asked by Fife Council to make a formal application for the closure of both the Coastal Footpath and the alternative route through Kingsbarns Golf Links, together with a report on the reasons for the closure request. In consultation with Willie Dunbar of Halcrow Crouch we have assessed the situation both last year and this and feel very strongly that there is an argument for the closures on two grounds.

1) From a Health and Safety point of view there is a risk that walkers on the area of the coastal footpath adjoining the Kingsbarns golf course are in danger from wayward golf balls, as the path is within areas that we consider dangerous and which are roped-off to spectators. In many cases both players and walkers would be unaware of the presence of one another, therefore, increasing the potential hazard. For the duration of the Championship IMG are responsible for all activities on the golf course, all of which are considered within the detailed Risk Assessment, and we are advised we have a responsibility to minimise this particular risk.

2) Entry to the Championship is controlled. For sound commercial and, importantly, security reasons we cannot permit the general public to gain access without proper accreditation. We believe there is a genuine case to be made that we put ourselves at risk by leaving the site open to general access. This risk is both ‘minor’ (vandalism, theft) and more regrettably ‘major’ (terrorist threat) in light of September 11th and recent suspected Nationalist movement threats, although we both know that in reality the threat is minimal.

One final point is that the Dunhill Links Championship has the largest prize fund on the European Tour, it attracts a truly international field from the worlds of golf, business and entertainment, is broadcast live worldwide and therefore attracts world-wide attention. It is obvious, therefore, that both the above factors become even more relevant as I am sure you appreciate.

With this in mind I would like to ask for the formal support of Fife Police. Any assistance you can give by means of written recommendations would be extremely helpful. Please do not hesitate to give me a call with any questions or queries and I look forward to hearing from you. Best regards and thank you for your co-operation.

Yours sincerely

ROSS HALLETT

2. IMG commissioned safety report

TO: Stuart McEwan Esq, Kingsbarns Golf Links

FROM: W G Dunbar, Halcrow Group

DATE: 22 April 2002

Dear Stuart,

Dunhill Links Championship 2002 - Coastal Footpaths

I have been asked by IMG as the event organiser of the Dunhill Links Championship 2002 to review the position in respect of the use of the Fife Coastal Path by the public where it bounds or crosses Kingsbarns Golf Links during the progress of the Championship.

As you will be aware, sports events such as golf championships which are attended by a significant number of spectators must be organised with consideration of safety of the public and adopt, whenever possible, the recommendations of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds issued by the Stationery Office on behalf of The Scottish Executive and The Department of National Heritage.

Responsibility for the safety of the public rests with the owner of the ground, the promoter of the event and with the Local Authority, all of whom must adopt an approach which reflects a culture of safety wherever practicable. Specifically, the management of the event should conduct a risk assessment undertaken by competent persons with knowledge of the area being assessed and its operation during the event.

As an adviser on such issues to IMG, I am concerned that the use of the Coastal Footpath by the public during the progress of the Dunhill Links Championship or other golf tournament could present a hazard to the public outwith the ability of the management of the event to control, particularly in respect to injury, crowd management, emergency incident response and conflict of vehicle movements with pedestrians.

A meeting was held at Kingsbarns on l9 September 2001 during which the above issues and concerns were discussed and the concerns acknowledged by Mr. Geoff May, the Principal Planner (Environment & Implementation) of Fife Council in addition to Councillors Douglas, Kate Holy and Clare Wright. Following the meeting, it was suggested that Kingsbarns Golf Links should apply to Fife Council for a variation of Condition 6 of the Planning Consent for the Construction of the Golf Course to allow for the closure of the section of the Fife Coastal Path where it bounds the golf course for future golf tournaments, including the Dunhill Links Championship. It is important should an incident to the public occur, that we can demonstrate that we have taken reasonable measures to protect the public and to manage the tournament in a safe and professional manner.

I will be pleased to support the application with clarification of the statements on consideration of issues of safety and management should this be required. Please contact me if I can be of assistance.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

W G Dunbar BSc, CEng, FICE, MlStruct.E