Craigtoun leisure complex plan put on hold

The Citizen, 11 December 1998

An application to build a new leisure and golf complex at Craigtoun House, near St Andrews, was put on hold this week.

Members of Fife Council’s East Area Development Committee on Tuesday expressed concern that not enough consideration had gone into the access road leading into the site, claiming that it was a dangerous road.

They were also worried about the effect of the increased volume of traffic going in and out of the development.

The access road was slightly bigger than a single track although two vehicles would be unable to pass safely, and only two passing places had been provided.

Councillor Frances Melville, (St Andrews West), said: “I don’t think enough consideration has been put into this road.

" We cannot detract from the fact that it is a very, very dangerous road and that several serious accidents have taken place there.”

Councillor James Braid (St Monans, Elie and Pittenweem) was also worried about the access road, saying that it could affect the Craigtoun Country Park.

He added: “We have to think about the effect that the road and traffic will have on our own Craigtoun Park, which belongs to us. ‘‘Would it not be possible to build another access road?”

Councillor Braid said also that the whole application should be adjourned until the problem of the road was sorted out.

Members were also concerned that there did not seem to have been any specific research done on the volume of traffic coming into and out of the site, and requested that figures should be made available the next time the application came before the committee.

The application, by Golf Resorts International, proposes to convert Craigtoun House into a leisure club complete with gym, treatment rooms, billiard room and golf clinic, and to extend the building to include a 20-metre swimming pool.

There are also plans to build 34 ancillary hotel accommodation units, and to convert outbuildings to form a further 10 units.

East Area Planning Manager, Jim Birrell, had advised the committee to accept the proposals, saying that they related to tourism and would generate local employment.

“The developers must be applauded for their awareness of an issue as sensitive as this,” he said.

“I can assure you that that every balustrade, every light fitting and every piece of cornicing in Craigtoun House will be restored back to its former glory.

“All trees on the site will be kept, and no trees shall have their roots cut or be lopped, felled uprooted or removed.”

The application for the resort will come before the committee again after investigations have been made into the road and how much traffic the new site will generate.