Search for golf course takes leap forward

The Courier, 8 November 2002

The search by St Andrews Links Trust or its seventh golf course in the town has taken a huge leap forward with confirmation that legal discussions on land purchase are now well advanced.

It has been made clear by the trust that golf course architects who have been looking at the proposed site just outside St Andrews have been highly impressed by what they saw.

In July, The Courier revealed that the trust was in discussion with landowners in the Kinkell/Brownhills area just to the east of the town above St Andrews Bay.

Although the land is on an elevated site, and is some distance from the links courses, the trust needs to provide facilities for the increasing numbers of locals and visitors who want to play in St Andrews.

In recent years the existing courses - the Old, New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum and Balgove - have been playing at near capacity.

Even though there have been fewer American visitors in the wake of foot-and-mouth and the September 11 atrocity - demand from local and UK-based golfers remains high. This trend continued in August, with the number of rounds played by locals level with last year’s record figures.

The issue of the new course was raised again at a recent meeting of the trustees, when general manager and secretary Alan McGregor provided an update on progress with the land purchase.

At the meeting the trustees were also briefed on the selection of course architects, and it agreed to form a Course No 7 Working Party.

The trust has made no secret of the fact that it has been searching for land to expand the playing facilities, and it confirmed in July that it had been in discussion with landowners.

The new course will have to be as close to St Andrews as possible, and the Kinkell site - although not involving links-type land - would appear to fit the bill.

Provision of a new course for the trust is likely to involve potential green belt land, and it is almost certain that the proposals will require an Environmental Impact Assessment.

This will involve the trust in seeking opinions from Fife Council about the issues likely to play an important part in the decision-making process.

Any formal planning application would also need extensive consultation with local and national bodies.

Mr McGregor said yesterday that missives had not yet been concluded on the and and that the matter was in the hands of lawyers.

He also said that the No 7 Working Party has seen six golf course architects.

News that the trust has made such progress in its quest for land coincides with plans for three more golf courses elsewhere.

Local firm Headon Developments wants to build two 18-hole courses as part of a western expansion of the town, and last month the St Andrews International Golf Club lodged a planning application or a £15 million project to include a golf course at Feddinch, to the south-west of St Andrews.