Developers submit 'unique' traffic proposal

The Citizen, 5 February 1999

A “unique and innovative” proposal has been put forward by the developers behind the Kingask project in answer to concerns over the traffic effects of the development on St Andrews.

Fife Council transportation officials have given an enthusiastic welcome to the traffic management plan which has been cloned from similar schemes in the United States.

Unveiling what they described as “innovate proposals for sustainable transport” this week, the developers said that the plans would be the first of their kind in Scotland and were thought to be a United Kingdom first.

Drawing on experience of special transport arrangements at its US operations, St Andrews Bay Development worked with its professionals to come up with the new plans for active management of the transportation of guests and staff in a fleet of in-house vehicles - which would integrate with the local public transport network and Fife Council’s own proposals for Park and Ride.

Des Montgomery, of Montgomery Forgan Associates in Cupar, explained: “The main aim of the approach is to reduce journeys and traffic in St Andrews, and to place less dependence on the use of the private car.

“These proposals, which will be the subject of a legal agreement with Fife Council, will ensure that Kingask guests do not have to make independent travel arrangements.”

The developers have also agreed to relocate the hotel and conference centre building nearer the back of the site to reduce further the visual impact.

Iain McKinnon, operations director of St Andrews Bay Development, added: "All matters which were raised by the members of the East Area Development Committee have been fully addressed and agreed with the relevant officials of Fife Council.

"In particular, we have sorted out all the traffic issues to the satisfaction of the Transportation Department."

Wave of support for Kingask plan

Craig Nisbet, The Citizen, 5 February 1999

Unprecedented support for the £50 million golf course and hotel development at Kingask has been pouring into council offices in the last days leading up to official consideration of the project.

Some 800 letters and cards of support for the development have been received by the council, far outweighing the number of objections and surprising planning officials. And, this week, the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board, Fife Enterprise and the Fife Chamber of Commerce joined the growing band of support for what could be the biggest ever single investment in tourism in Fife.

With only days remaining before the controversial proposal goes before Fife Council’s East Area Development Committee, a senior planning official said that he could not recall any planning application receiving the level of support that had been cast in favour of the Kingask plan.

He said that the developers, and their supporters, had really made a concerted effort with signed cards and letters backing the project, adding: “It’s the sort of concerted effort that is usually seen on the objectors’ side."

He added that in such major cases, there were usually large numbers of objections and then the silent majority.

“In this case they have motivated the silent majority”.

The application - now reduced to plans for a 208 bedroomed hotel, two golf courses, conference centre and ancillary facilities - will be on the agenda for a specially-extended meeting of the East Area Development Committee next Tuesday.

Before then, councillors will today be visiting the cliff-top location at Kingask, just two miles south east of St Andrews, where the developers - St Andrews Bay Development Ltd -have arranged to have scaffolding erected to show the outline of buildings on the site.

A spokesman for the developers said yesterday that overwhelming support for the project was now coming from many local businesses and organisations as well as villagers in Boarhills and Kingsbarns, the closest neighbours to the Kingask site.

Des Montgomery, of Montgomery Forgan Associates, Cupar - who are advising the project team - said: “A groudswell of support has clearly amassed behind this project. It is not only the major organisations such as Fife Enterprise, the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board and Fife Chamber of Commerce, but more significantly a substantial number of St Andrews residents, who clearly recognise all the merits of the project and accept that it will result in a good boost to both the local and national economy.

“It is evident that local people have welcomed the changes in the deveIoper’s plans, their assurances about the Fife Coastal Path, and implementation of environmental measures.

“In particular, they have welcomed the traffic management measures which, when enforced, will improve traffic flow in St Andrews.”

While announcing the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board’s support for the project, Chairman Mrs Elizabeth Dunlop said: “A development like this will make a major contribution to the Fife tourism industry.

“It will enable the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board, and in particular our in-house Convention Bureau, to pursue new avenues of business and attract specific events of a size which can’t currently be handled by existing venues.

‘‘We would expect, and hope, that a high proportion of its business would be additional and new to Fife.

Fife Enterprise, too, voiced their support for the project with Chief Executive Robert MacKenzie saying: “The St Andrews Bay proposal offers a unique opportunity for Fife to secure a major hotel, leisure and conference facility, creating significant business and employment opportunities in North East Fife.

“Fife Enterprise is working with Fife Council, the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board and the company to assist the successful development of the project.”