Opponents snub the launch of £50m leisure development

Dougie Miller, The Scotsman, 14 October 1999

Opponents of a controversial £50 million investment at St Andrews - the largest tourism-related development under construction in Scotland - yesterday snubbed the official launch of the project.

The 209-bedroom hotel, two 18-hole golf courses, health spa and major conference centre at the “Home of Golf’ will provide around 775 associated jobs during the construction phase and also when it opens in the spring of 2001.

Although welcomed by business and tourism leaders as the premier resort destination in Scotland, the planned development on a clifftop site overlooking St Andrews has been dogged with controversy. Opponents claim that traffic going to and from the venue around three miles from St Andrews will have a devastating effect on the town’s infrastructure, with traffic gridlock.

Fears have also been voiced that the development will turn St Andrews into a golf theme park.

One of the most vociferous objectors, Dr Frank Riddell, chairman of St Andrews Community Council, was among those asked to the launch, but failed to attend.

He said: “The community council was invited and was represented by one of its vice-chairmen, Murdo McDonald.” He declined to comment further.

A spokesman for the developers, St Andrews Bay, said that all the objectors had been invited to attend. The project is expected to inject more than £14 million into the Fife economy in its first year of operation.

Construction of the hotel, conference centre and spa will be completed by April next year, while the first of the top-class golf courses - designed by the late Gene Sarazen and Scotland star Sam Torrance - will be open for play later that year.

David Waring, chief executive of Fife Enterprise, said the development would boost the Fife economy and encourage more people to stay longer, “benefiting all tourism businesses in the Kingdom.”