The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fears of road chaos if new holiday park gets go-ahead
Plans for a new holiday park to be built on farmland near St Andrews have been met with resistance from local villagers.
Developers on behalf of St Andrews Forest Lodges Ltd, have submitted plans for 18 new holiday lodges, a reception, caretaker’s building and a biomass plant, close to the tiny settlement of Kincaple off the A91.
The firm already operate the 17 lodge Woodland Leisure Park in the village which it purchased in 2014.
In its design statement, the company said the development would provide four-star accommodation which would, in turn, benefit the local economy with increased local spend from visitors.
It also added that the new lodges would be enclosed by mature forestation and further hidden by “screen landscaping, both locally within the site, and remotely along the A91”.
However, the proposal has already attracted a raft of objections from villagers, who also have Strathkinness Community Council backing their claims that the park would have negative impact on the local road infrastructure, congestion and daily life in the hamlet.
Kincaple resident Carol Pickthall fears the increase in traffic would be unsustainable.
She said: “The road network surrounding Kincaple is wholly unsuited for the increased level of traffic this holiday park would undoubtedly bring.
“Add to that the impact on the character of the village as well as the local environment and it should not go ahead.”
Fellow resident, Allan Burns, added that he was alarmed over the lack of an environmental impact assessment.
“Considering the size of the development in relation to the village as well as in addition to so much other development in the area, I’m astounded that an impact assessment hasn’t been requested.
“The very least we should expect is for Fife Council to conduct a full and transparent planning process.”
In response, a Fife Council spokesman confirmed that the scale of the application was not required to be considered under the Environmental Impact Assessment legislation.
He added: “However, all the potential relevant environmental impacts and issues will be assessed through the planning application process.”
A spokesperson for Strathkinnes Community Council said it had also opposed the plans.
They added: “Residents have highlighted genuine concerns that the local road network will not cope with the large increase of traffic that the development would attract and we agreed.”
Addressing the locals’ concerns, a spokesperson for St Andrews Forest Lodges, said: “The proposals include a new entrance remote from the village, which directs all traffic from the new and existing holiday park.
“In addition new passing places and improvements to the junction with the A71, as well as improved signage are investments made that will ensure a real reduction in traffic through Kincaple Village.”