Division over new proposals

The Citizen, 15 January 1999

Members of St Andrews Community Council are divided over the effect that a new golfing development, covering 500 acres on land around Scooniehill Farm, will have.

The proposals include two 18-hole golf courses, 80 houses, a clubhouse, a leisure club, car park and a golf academy incorporating a further nine-hole golf course.

On Monday evening, Community Councillor Chris Lesurf was against the proposals, stating: We do not need another golf course in St Andrews. It would ruin the town.

“I am all in favour of developing a green belt around St Andrews.”

Mr Dennis Macdonald, however, was in favour of the proposals, arguing the point that nothing could be more greener than a golf course.

He said: “If a golf course is not green, then I don’t know what is. If people from all around the world want to come to St Andrews to play golf, then why not let them?

“It would certainly bring a lot of money into the town.”

Community Councillor Hugh Gray was sceptical about the numbers of people who would actually come to play golf: “Where are these people going to come from to sustain any new golf courses?

“Are there really thousands of people queuing up to play golf in St Andrews? I don’t think so.

“And, if the development fails, what will the developers do to the nice green golf course? Of course, they will build upon it.”

The proposed site will stretch from Largo Road at the Cairnsmill Caravan Site in the west to the Grange Road in the east, and from near Lambielethan Reservoir in the south to Pipeland Steading in the north.

‘Although the developers have discussed screening and restricting the height of the buildings to the height of the tree canopy, they have chosen to locate the main complex at the brow of the hill with the result that it would be clearly visible from the town.

Dr Frank Riddell has agreed to frame an objection to the application.