Part 1 - Background

2. The appeal site is located on elevated land to the south of St Andrews. It extends to some 186ha and is bounded to the west by the A915 (St Andrews to Largo road), to the east by the Grange Road and to the north and south by agricultural land. The northern part of the site comprises the north-facing slope of the eastern part of Wester Balrymonth Hill, which overlooks the town. The part of the site to the south of the ridge line consists of an open bowl of land which descends to the line of a former railway line and then rises slightly towards North Lambieletham. The land to the north of the railway line lies within an Area of Great Landscape Value. Most of the site has an open agricultural appearance with low stone walls and hedgerows and it is in use for crop production or under grass. The land is predominantly prime quality agricultural land. Limited areas of woodland are to be found within the site to the south of the water treatment works at Pipeland, around the farmhouse at Scooniehill, along the line of the former railway and in a shelter belt to the north of Lochend. A farm access road crosses the site from the A9 15 to the Grange Road. This access road passes through the residential development at Wester Balrymonth, which lies just outside the appeal site. Two rights-of-way run through the site and these form part of a wider network of footpaths in the area. To the north of Scooniehill there is a stone shaft known as Gregory’s Pillar which is a category B listed structure.

3. The application for outline planning permission proposes the creation of two 18-hole golf courses, a golf practice area, a clubhouse with leisure and fitness facilities, car parking and residential accommodation for up to 320 club members and their guests. On the indicative master plan that accompanied the planning application, the western part of the site is shown as being occupied by the Scooniehill Course, which at some 6,750 yards (par 72) would be the longer of the two courses. The eastern part of the site would be used by the proposed Kinrymont Course which would measure approximately 6,290 yards and have a par of 70.

4. The master plan also indicates that the proposed clubhouse would be located close to the site of the existing steading at Scooniehill. It is proposed that, apart from the farmhouse and farm cottages, all the existing steading buildings would be demolished. The clubhouse would incorporate accommodation for the administration of the courses, bars and lounge areas, a dining room, retail facilities, a snooker room, conference facilities, 12 en-suite bedrooms, staff facilities, storage rooms, laundry facilities and a leisure club. The leisure facility would include an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa bath, solarium. gymnasium, aerobics and dance area, and a beauty saloon.

5. The indicative plan shows that the proposed residential accommodation for members would be located on a low lying area of ground well to the south of the ridge line overlooking a small water feature. The proposed ‘loch’ would be located in an area where there was previously a water body and it is intended that it would act as part of the drainage system by forming an element of the treatment process for surface water run-off. It is also hoped that by introducing this and other water features the bio-diversity of the site would be enhanced. The plans indicate that a maximum of 80 accommodation suites, each accommodating up to 4 people, would be provided in 8 to 10 lodges. The lodges would be a maximum of 2-storeys in height.

6. Access to the proposed development would be taken from the A915. A new access road would be built which would pass to the south the existing houses at Wester Balrymonth and join the A915 at a new junction just to the south of the existing access point. The proposal also involves the upgrading of an existing right-of-way which runs south from St Andrews towards Scooniehill. It is also suggested that, for reasons of pedestrian safety, another right-of-way which crosses the site from east to west may have to be re-routed. The indicative plans also show that it is intended to create a new footpath and bridleway for use by members of the public round the perimeter of the golf courses.

7. The application was refused planning permission for the following reasons:

(i) The proposed development is considered to be contrary to the terms of the development plan policies set out in both the Fife Structure Plan and the St Andrews Area Local Plan with particular regard to: (a) development in the Countryside, (b) development within a designated Area of Great Landscape Value, (c) the loss of prime quality agricultural land, and (d) key statements relating to the strategy for development in the St Andrews area and the protection of assets of importance to the tourist industry;
(ii) The proposed development is considered to be premature pending the consideration by Fife Council in the current structure plan of a green belt for St Andrews;
(iii) The proposed development would have an adverse effect on the Area of Great Landscape Value and would lead to a suburbanisation of the countryside;
(iv) In the interests of road safety; the proposed development would generate an unacceptable level of traffic on the public roads and would lead to a harmful impact on the restricted road system within St Andrews;
(v) In the interests of road safety; the development would generate an unacceptable level of construction traffic onto the public roads;
(vi) The proposed development by reason of its size and position would have an adverse effect on the landscape setting of St Andrews;
(vii) The proposed development, being a private golfing facility would be contrary to the council’s Planning Guidelines for Golf Courses and Associated Developments in that there would be no pay-and-play element; and
(viii) The proposed development would have an adverse effect on the environment.

During the course of the inquiry, the council acknowledged that reason for refusal (vii) was no longer applicable following the approval of an amended policy in the finalised Draft Fife Structure Plan.

8. An earlier application for the development of 2 golf courses and a clubhouse, golf academy and residential accommodation for members was refused outline planning permission by Fife Council in July 1999. This refusal was not the subject of an appeal. Following discussions with council planning officials, an amended application was submitted in October 1999. The present appeal relates to the refusal in June 2000 of this amended application. The main differences between the current application and the earlier proposal are (i) a reduction in the scale of the buildings on the ridge overlooking St Andrews, (ii) a relocation of the members residential accommodation to a lower lying area in the southern part of the site, (iii) the restriction of the golf courses to below the 95m contour on Wester Balrymonth Hill, (iv) the deletion of the proposed golf academy, and (v) the retention and reuse of the existing farmhouse and cottages at Scooniehill.