Resort to fight stop order

The Courier, 2 March 2001

The developers of the new £50 million St Andrews Bay resort complex are to fight a recent enforcement notice served by Fife Council in relation to unauthorised works carried out in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Now the Scottish Executive will have the final say over the notice, which was served over work done on a half-acre site adjacent to the Kittocks Den beauty spot.

It was revealed last month that action was being taken by the council. At the time the developers made it clear that work on the area had already stopped and that in any case they were of the opinion that the ground could be outwith the SSSI.

The work was done as part of the eighth green of the new Devlin Course and the issue was raised with Fife Council by Scottish Natural Heritage.

It has now been revealed that the planning consultant acting or the developers, Des Montgomery of Cupar, has written to the Scottish Executive to appeal the notice and it appears there is now acceptance that there has been encroachment into the SSSI.

Mr Montgomery said that the appellants very much regretted the circumstances which have resulted in the service of an enforcement notice and stop notice by the council.

He said that active discussions were continuing with a view to resolving the issue of encroachment into the SSSI, and other matters.

It was understood, said Mr Montgomery, that the area concerned was flat, grassy and of no known botanical significance, was grazed by cattle and was occasionally used by RAF Leuchars for air-sea search and rescue exercises.

The Scottish Executive have the final say on this issue.

Members of the public can contribute to this appeal process by writing to :-

Fiona Upton
Scottish Executive
Inquiry Reporter Unit
2 Greenside Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3AG

by 16th March 2001