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St Andrews International Golf Club - Feddinch - Background
Info Planning reports more SIGC Info back to SIGC News Report placed before the East Area Development Committee on 7 October 2003 Report prepared by Nick Brian, Team Leader Item NO: APPLICATION FOR Environmental Impact Assessment REF: 02/03453/EEIA SITE ADDRESS: Site At Feddinch Mains St Andrews PROPOSAL: Outline planning application to form private golf course (incorporating ponds and wetlands), erect clubhouse with 40 two bedroom suites and greenkeepers store, demolish existing steading, form vehicle access/car parking (EIA application) APPLICANT: S A I G C (Feddinch) Ltd Birchmoss Estate Echt "This report is to advise Members on the details of this application which has become the subject of an appeal against non-determination and to agree to scope of this Council's arguments at the subsequent appeal. The application would ordinarily have been the subject of a Departure Hearing but this is not now possible due to the timescale imposed by the appeal." CONSULTATIONS Transportation Services - Objection, presumption against new accesses/intensification of existing accesses Archaeology - No objection Health and Safety Executive - No objection Scottish Water - No objections, comments Scottish Environment Protection Agency - No objections, comments Historic Scotland - Supports renovation of Listed farm house, no objection to steading demolition. New build excessive for location. St Andrews Preservation Trust - Objections Royal Burgh of St Andrews CC - No response Cameron Community Council - Road safety. Create opportunity for new jobs. Possible light pollution St Andrews Merchants Association - No response Architectural Heritage Scty of Scotland - Objection – impact on countryside policy Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board - Disappointed that applicants made no approach Scottish Natural Heritage - Objections: Development could have potential serious impact on the natural heritage and insufficient information has been provided to properly assess this Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Dept - No objections Scottish Executive Development Dept - No comments to make Scottish Rights of Way + Access Soc - Comments but no objections Royal Fine Art Commission For Scotland - Concerns re impact on AGLV/Green Belt, design approach and insufficient information Sportscotland (formerly Sports Council) - No objection Assoc for Protection of Rural Scotland - No objection but comments re height of building and need for screen planting REPRESENTATIONS A total of 11 objections have been lodged against the application, citing the following issues:- - impact on countryside and AGLV In addition 10 letters of support have been received raising the following issues:- - bring additional high spending overseas visitors to boost
the local economy STATUTORY POLICIES AND APPROVED GUIDANCE National Guidance SPPI The Planning System (Revised 2000) NPPG11 Sport Physical Recreation and Open Space NPPG14 Natural Heritage NPPG15 Rural Development NPPG17 Transport and Planning NPPG18 Planning and Historic Environment PAN43 Golf Courses and Associated Developments PAN57 Transportation & Planning PAN58 Environmental Impact Assessment PAN60 Planning for Natural Heritage Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Fife Structure Plan 2002 SP1 Sustainability SS1 Settlement Development Strategy SS8 Green Belt for St Andrews and Dunfermline T1 Transport and Development T4 Developer Requirements E2 New Employment Opportunities E4 Rural Businesses E6 Visitor Development E7 Protecting the Tourist Industry C4 Golf Courses B1 Built Heritage N1 Quality of Development in the Countryside N2 Prime Agricultural Land St Andrews Area Local Plan 1996 E1 Environmental Impact E5 Listed Buildings E11 Access to the Countryside E13 Development in the Countryside E14 Redundant Buildings in Rural Areas E15 New Buildings in the Countryside E16 Areas of Great Landscape Value E19 Nature Conservation E20 Leisure Activities in the Countryside ED6 Tourism ED9 Prime Agricultural Land ED10 Agricultural diversification I5 Car parking I7 Rights of Way I11 Leisure and Recreation S1 Skyline Other Guidance St Andrews Strategic Study 1998 St Andrews Tourism Strategy 1998 Fife Tourism Strategy Landscape Character Assessment Studies 1996 St Andrews Transportation Plan Planning Guidelines for Golf Courses & Associated Development 1999 The Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 PLANNING SUMMARY 1.0 Background 1.1 This report is to advise Members on the details of this application which has become the subject of an appeal against non-determination and to agree to scope of this Council's arguments at the subsequent appeal. The application would ordinarily have been the subject of a Departure Hearing but this is not now possible due to the timescale imposed by the appeal. 1.2 Prior to the lodging of the appeal against non-determination, discussions were still being held with the applicants and consultees in terms of addressing outstanding issues. Since the appeal has now been lodged, not all of these issues have been resolved and indeed areas of reconsultation of key consultees have not been able to be carried out. The details of these will be expanded upon elsewhere in this report. 1.3 The application was originally lodged as an outline application on 7 November 2002 and proposed the formation of a private golf course (incorporating ponds and wetlands) erection of a clubhouse with 40 2-bedroomed suites and greenkeepers' store, demolition of the existing steading buildings and formation of a vehicular access and car parking areas. 1.4 Pre-application discussions had taken place at which time it was agreed with the applicants that an Environmental Statement would be required, the development falling within Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. A Scoping Opinion was subsequently issued and agreed. The current application accompanied by an Environmental Statement. 1.5 The application site extends to approximately 98 hectares (244acres) of agricultural land, Grade 2 and 3, to the south of St Andrews. The site is bounded to the east by the A915, north by the minor road leading to Balone/Lumbo, to the south by the access road to Feddinch Mansion grounds and to the west by the boundaries of The Dukes Golf Course, Craigtoun Country Park and Winthank Farm. 1.6 Centrally within the site is Feddinch Steading which is a mixture of stone and more modern materials, of varying height and condition. Immediately to the south of the steading is the farmhouse which is a Category B for Group building. The existing access off the A915 would be closed and a new access point formed further to the south. 1.7 The club house and associated facilities would incorporate the following:- - Reception, administration offices - 40 x 2-bedroomed
suites, dining room, lounge bar, spikes bar 1.8 The concept behind the proposal is to create a private golf club catering for membership for overseas and home based clientele. Members would be provided with a full range of leisure and residential facilities, described in point 1.7, contained within a central integrated building together with the surrounding golf course. 1.9 Although the application was lodged in outline form, nevertheless, the applicants have been requested to provide additional information to address key issues in the determination of the application. 1.10 The application site lies within an Area of Great Landscape Value as defined in the St Andrews Local Plan. 1.11 The application was advertised as a potential departure to the development plan with regards to policies covering development in the countryside, Area of Great Landscape Value; landscape setting of St Andrews, golf courses and settlement development strategy. 2.0 Policy Background National Policy and Guidance 2.1 Government policy and guidance seeks to support appropriate and well designed tourist related development in rural areas subject to specific performance criteria being achieved particularly in terms of sustainability and positive impact on the natural environment and built heritage. Development Plan 2.2 Development Plan policy reinforces national policy and guidance. In this particular instance the principal policy areas which require to be addressed are:- Justification for rural location Landscape and visual impact, in particular the AGLV Green Belt for St Andrews Protecting and developing tourist facilities Golf courses - requirements for and location Traffic Impact Justification for rural location 2.3 Golf courses generally require a rural location, and this would extend to the associated development of a clubhouse and maintenance sheds, where a proposal involves additional elements such as residential accommodation and leisure facilities then further justification is required for a rural location rather than within a settlement boundary. In the case of the current application the clubhouse, accommodation and leisure would be developed in a simple integrated development at the centre of the golf course. The justification put forward by the applicants is based on the membership concept of the overall facilities, which necessitates the on-site presence of residential accommodation and leisure facilities on integral features. To separate these, by locating within a settlement boundary would not enable this type of approach to be adopted. Landscape and Visual Impact 2.4 Due to the location of the application site within an AGLV the impact of the proposals on the landscape is of prime concern in determining whether or not the proposal is acceptable. Despite setting down quite clearly in the scoping opinion the requirements for being able to fully address landscape and visual impacts, the Environmental Statement lodged with the planning application was considered not to sufficiently/successfully address this issue. The applicants were requested to reconsider 2 key aspects of the proposals to enable a more effective assessment to be made namely: (1) Demonstration that the built complex would have a height, massing and impact no greater than the existing steading buildings, including addressing the issue of the footprints. In pre-application discussions with the applicants they were advised that any development on the site should minimise the amount of new build. That is developments which was not a replacement of the existing steading. The application as submitted proposed, through indicative drawings, a development which extended above the existing steading height, in part, and resulted on an increase in massing. The proposals were amended to reduce the profiles to no greater than, and in places, less than the existing steading. In terms of footprint the proposals, as amended, whilst not being fully within the footprint of the existing buildings, do, nevertheless, not extend beyond the footprint of the existing hardstanding and in any event do not represent an increase in gross floor area. Whilst purely indicative drawings as part of another application, nevertheless the proposals were therefore considered to be acceptable in terms of massing. This was on the basis of being an opportunity of replacing buildings of poor appearance with a development of a much higher standard and of no greater impact in terms of massing. In terms of the actual design concept, the Royal Fine Arts Commission for Scotland have raised concern over the design approach taken although as yet comments on the amendments have not been received. (2) Providing a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which addressed the shortcomings of the initial document which accompanied the application but had led to an objection by SNH. This was due to a failure to demonstrate that the existing open, sensitive agricultural landscape would not be significantly and adversely impacted upon. Following several discussions with the applicants and SNH, a revised Landscape and Visual Assessments was lodged but SNH have maintained the same stance in terms of failure to satisfy that there would not be a significant and adverse impact. Green Belt for St Andrews 2.5 Policy SS8 of the approved Fife Structure Plan 2002 sets out the requirements for local plans to identify a green belt boundary for St Andrews. The policy also states that there is a presumption against development of changes of use in green belts unless necessary for the purposes of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, countryside recreation, establishments and institutions standing in extensive grounds or other uses appropriate to the rural character of the area. In addition, where critical views to and from the town's historic core would be interrupted by intrusive development proposals, there is a presumption against all such development. The policy also makes it clear that development proposals likely to prejudice this process will be considered premature. 2.6 The implementation of the green belt proposals for St Andrews will be achieved through the East Fife Local Plan which is due to be published in draft in autumn 2004. As at September 2003, preliminary consultation is taking place. This wide ranging public participation exercise will allow views on the issue to be collated and combined with work which the Council has commissioned on a landscape capacity study for St Andrews, will form the basis for determining the green belt boundary for St Andrews. It is anticipated that the draft East Fife Local Plan will be published in the Autumn 2004 and the green belt boundaries identified at that time. The proposed development lies within the broad area identified for green belt status in the Fife Structure Plan and is therefore potentially prejudicial to defining the green belt. If it can be demonstrated that the proposal does prejudice the green belt's implementation, it should be considered premature pending the review of the local plan. Protecting and Development Tourist Facilities 2.7 Tourism forms an important element to the economy of St Andrews and the development plan contains policies aimed at ensuring that this is built upon through additional facilities. However, these should be such that they do not directly compete with existing facilities in a manner which does not add to the viability of the tourist sector. The proposed development is aimed at generating additional visitors to St Andrews, who would take out club membership. This in tow would have the potential for a spin off into the local economy through visitor spend locally. Golf Courses - requirements for, and location 2.8 The development plan sets down criteria which should be met regarding the acceptability of new golf courses, in terms of location and accessibility for play. New facilities can be supported where they are of appropriate scale (for both the landscape and the enterprise) and design, re use existing redundant buildings where available, secure economic and employment benefits and remain in perpetuity as part of the golfing enterprise. 2.9 The Structure Plan requires that they meet an identified demand and demonstrate that the demand cannot be met on an existing course in the area or are constructed substantially on brownfield land. The current proposals, being for private members club are intended to target a type of demand which is not satisfied by existing courses. However that demand could only be fully demonstrated, in practice, through the financial commitment in terms of memberships being taken up, prior to any development starting. Traffic Impact 2.10 The application was accompanied by the submission of a Traffic Assessment. Transportation Services have, nevertheless objected in terms of a new access being formed on an unrestricted stretch of road, being in the interests of road safety. However in a situation where the planning merits of a proposal are considered sufficient to outweigh general road safety concerns then measures could be taken to ensure that the access and associated works were up to Fife Council's specifications. The current proposals do have planning merits, in terms of the contribution to tourism, visitor facilities and the local economy, together with replacing unattractive buildings. However currently the landscape and visual impact has not been fully demonstrated to be unlikely to have a significant and adverse effect on the area. As a consequence, therefore, there are currently insufficient planning merits to outweigh the road safety concerns. Determining Issues 2.11 As this is an appeal against non-determination of the planning application, there are no reasons for refusal for the Council to defend. Development Services wishes to defend the appeal on the basis of a deemed refusal and requires a formal view from the Committee on this matter. The report, therefore, seeks to confirm the scope of the Council's argument. It is considered that the determining issues In relation to this appeal are: - The application has failed to demonstrate that the proposals would not have a significantly adverse landscape and visual impact on AGLV and the historic landscape setting of St Andrews and so the application is prejudicial to the consideration of the Green Belt for St Andrews through the East Area Local Plan process. - The proposal would involve the formation of a new access onto an unrestricted distributor road outwith established built up areas which would introduce traffic manoeuvres which conflict with through traffic movements and hence increase the probability of accidents, to the detriment of road safety. 3.0 Recommendation 3.1 I recommend that the Council defends the appeal against non-determination on the basis of the above issues and that it be delegated. 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