Opinions on golf course to be aired

Gordon Berry, The Courier, 3 February 2004

Fife Council planners have confirmed that the planned seventh public golf course for St Andrews is potentially prejudicial to the forthcoming definition of the long-awaited green belt for the town.

In a report due to be considered at a meeting in Boarhills on Thursday night, east area development team leader Nick Brian has made it clear that if the proposal is not to be considered “premature,” St Andrews Links Trust will have to demonstrate that there will be no such prejudice.

The application has attracted 22 representations including 17 objections and one letter of support, with issues of concern including green belt, insufficient demand, visual impact, traffic generation, the economic impact on St Andrews and other golf courses, impact on a Site of Special Scientific Interest, light pollution, and the proximity of the town’s waste water treatment works.

There have also been calls from several sources for the provision of a full and independent economic impact assessment before any decisions are made.

A number of the objections come from residents in the immediate area, but on the other hand the letter of support comes from the Boarhills and Dunino Community Association, which has said that demand for the course has been demonstrated, and that there would be no significant alteration to the landscape.

As debate has built in the run-up to the formal decision-making process for the site at Brownhills Farm and Kinkell Farm, the green belt issue has always been a major factor.

Although the local green belt forum has not objected, St Andrews Community Council has made the issue one of its points of objection.

Mr Brian said in his report that the green belt will be achieved through the east Fife local plan, which is due to be published in draft form in the autumn.

“The proposed development lies within the broad area identified for green belt status in the Fife Structure Plan, and is therefore potentially prejudicial to defining the green belt.

“The proposals require to demonstrate that they do not prejudice the green belt’s implementation to enable them not to be considered premature pending the review of the local plan,” said the official.

He said that the other material considerations are national policy guidance, development plan, landscape and visual impact, nature conservation, transport, economic and tourism impact, and representations and consultations.

On the question of visual impact, Mr Brian has said that much of the site is fully open to view from the coast road, although he has also pointed out that the proposals involve extensive modification of the topography in order to accommodate the layout and screen the clubhouse from views out of St Andrews.

On transport, Mr Brian said that the applicant’s environmental impact assessment indicated low trip generation and an even spread of traffic throughout the day. There would also, he said, be a shuttle bus between the town, the golf courses at the West Sands, and the new course.

“Whilst a single golf course is not regarded as a large traffic generator, nevertheless cumulative impact on key junctions within St Andrews requires consideration. Current Scottish Executive advice is that councils should seek no net detriment to the road systems, and that adverse impacts should be mitigated against,” he said.

The economic impact issue has also been addressed in the report, and Mr Brian said that the “key issue” is that visitors to St Andrews are encouraged and increased to the benefit of local businesses.

If there is a “demonstrable demand” from increased pressure on courses, he said, there should be consideration of how that demand can be met.

Representatives of the applicants and the objectors will be allowed to address this week’s meeting, and the discussion will inform the recommendation made to the east area development committee in due course.