Honesty pledge by golf planners

Gordon Berry, The Courier, 24 November 2001

The developers behind the latest plans for a major golf and leisure related development at St Andrews have pledged that they will be open, honest, transparent and up-front as their proposals are debated locally.

The assurance came yesterday from the secretary of the St Andrews International Golf Club, Alistair Doig, in the wake of news that land at Feddinch is being targeted for a £15 million project aimed largely at the overseas market.

The company failed some time ago to gain planning consent for a site at nearby Scooniehill, but they now hope to establish two golf courses, a clubhouse, leisure facilities and accommodation on 370 acres at Mains of Feddinch to the south of the town.

The previous proposals brought fierce local debate, and the issue was only decided after a public inquiry was held in St Andrews.

Yesterday Mr Doig said that apart from the presentation given to Cameron Community Council earlier this week, his company had been in touch with St Andrews Community Council and with St Andrews Preservation Trust.

“We have asked to be allowed to attend public meetings to give an explanation of our proposals, and to allow local people to shoot from the hip if that is what they want to do.

“We hope to be given a chance to explain accurately what we want to do, and that local bodies will be able to give us helpful, positive comment that we can take fully into account.”

Mr Doig has emphasised that the proposals are not yet at the stage where a planning application can be submitted , and that discussions are taking place with planners about the input that would be needed for the environmental impact assessment.

Turning to the market being targeted, Mr Doig said that there Is no doubt that the tragic events of September 11 had impacted on the overseas market, but he also said that this was not a situation which would exist for ever.

He has made it clear that the USA would still be the main target for an overseas membership drive, but added that there would also be a strong emphasis on Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Far East and Europe.

He said research overseas indicated a high level of interest in the development.

“There will be a number of different types of membership category, and we need initial membership sales of £7 million to be able to proceed.”