Seventh golf course faces delay to 2006

The Courier, 11 August 2003

Plans for creation of St Andrews Links Trust’s new seventh golf course could be held up until 2006 as Fife Council prepares its new local plan for the whole of north-east Fife.

This move comes as the trust prepares to submit a planning application for land at Kinkell Braes which is likely to be included in the boundaries of a “green belt” due to virtually surround the town.

A senior council planning official has told The Courier there is as yet “no black and white answer” to the question of whether the new course would be regarded as premature and prejudicial to the plan process.

At the same time, however, the links trust said at the weekend it would be “put in difficulty” if the course is not complete and ready for play in 2006.

The green belt question has been looming over St Andrews as plans for development are highlighted and Fife Council has said proposals for major western expansion of leisure, housing, university and educational buildings will be regarded as “premature” until green belt boundaries are defined and agreed and the local plan is adopted.

The question of whether the seventh course will fall into the same category has not yet been decided. Although golf courses can be seen as permitted development in green belts, the council also has to consider built development in the form of the clubhouse.

The council’s east area team leader for local plans Bill Lindsay said the target for plan finalisation is autumn 2005, with implementation hoped for a year later in 2006.

It is possible this timescale could alter if, as expected, a public inquiry will be caused through submission of objections that cannot be resolved.

Mr Lindsay said that there will be extensive public consultation and involvement as the plan progresses, and that there is “no black and white” answer about whether the seventh course will be identified as premature and prejudicial.

The official said the council cannot “hold everything back” and a lot will depend on scale of development and how it fits into the landscape.

He also made it clear the element of built development, which could result in changes to the landscape, will be significant.

It is up to the developers, he said, to demonstrate what the impact will be, and depending on the details the plans might or might not have to wait until the end of the local plan process. He said applications would all be looked at on their own merits.

Links trust spokesman Peter Mason said the scenario is an interesting one, but that delay would cause difficulty.

Mr Mason said the trust had tried to take account of any possible fears over buildings on the site by making sure the would be invisible from St Andrews and from the main road.

He said it should be remembered that the major difference between the trust’s application and any other commercial plans is that only a golf course and associated clubhouse and green-keepers’ buildings are being planned.

There is absolutely no intention, he said, for houses, a hotel, or any other development whatsoever.

Mr Mason said the timing is urgent because existing courses are “teetering on the brink of capacity.”

With the Open due to come to St Andrews again in 2005, he said, the following year is always a “bumper” one, and the trust wanted to see the new course in operation by then.

Chairman of St Andrews Green Belt Forum’s planning committee Professor Terence Lee said the issue would be discussed soon.