The Courier, 16 September, 1998

The risk of St Andrews being turned into a massive “theme park” was hinted at yesterday by North East Fife MP Menzies Campbell following growing concerns over several planned multi-million-pound developments in and around the town.

The comments by the Liberal Democrat MP came in the wake of plans by St Andrews Community Council to hold urgent discussions with other similar bodies in the area to highlight the impact on the town of the proposed schemes.

Mr Campbell said yesterday that the developments could have serious implications for the local infrastructure, in particular the traffic impact on the roads network.

He added, “North-east Fife, and St Andrews in particular, hold out obvious attractions for developers, but the scale of some of these proposals would inevitably mean that the elements which make up that attractiveness would be irreparably damaged.

“We cannot try to preserve the community in a time warp. The decline in fishing and farming has to be met by alternative economic activity and tourism is an obvious industry to be exploited.

“But, we run the risk of turning St Andrews into a gigantic theme park unless the decisions taken now reflect the quality of the environment and the responsibility of a rich and unique history.”

Mr Campbell maintained that it could not be ignored that there would undoubtedly be competing interests, with those who favour development on the one side and those urging caution on the other.

However, he added, “North-east Fife is the jewel in the crown in the Kingdom of Fife. It requires gentle handling.”

Fears are mounting of increased pressure on the town’s roads and its golf courses if the green light is given for major hotel, leisure, golf course and residential developments at Kingask, two miles east of St Andrews, and at the Duke’s Course at Craigtoun, on the outskirts of the town.

At Kingask an American company is planning a £50 million 240-bedroom hotel, complete with conference leisure facilities, along with two 18-hole golf courses.

Golf Resorts International Ltd, the management company of the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa in St Andrews, is proposing a £6 million project to convert the former Craigtoun Hospital at the Duke’s Course into a luxury golf and country club.

At the weekend St Andrews International Ltd and St Andrews University unveiled plans for a £7 million Gateway Centre at its North Haugh campus. It would have conference and exhibition facilities, a new golf and health club and a state-of-the-art museum.

Meanwhile, a new 18-hole links golf course is being developed at Kingsbarns, five miles from St Andrews, and is expected to be ready for restricted play in 2000 when the Open Championship returns to the Old Course.