The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Villagers’ fury at lack of fair play over golf event
KINGSBARNS: Organisers accused of ignoring planning conditions ahead of Open
Organisers of the Women’s Open at Kingsbarns Golf Links have been accused of bunkering planning conditions.
Community leaders say they fought hard to prevent use of a narrow street and obstruction of a scenic walkway when construction of the course was teed off 20 years ago.
Both are proposed by IMG, which is behind the Ricoh British Women’s Open in August, and Kingsbarns Community Council say this would breach terms of the course’ s planning permission.
Community councillor Kate Holy told The Courier: “We don’t object to the Open being here, as long as they play by fair rules.”
IMG, however, insisted it had no intention of breaching planning conditions and was working with the community to resolve issues.
Organisers of the first major to be staged at a new golf course in Scotland for 40 years have been accused of attempting to breach planning conditions.
Villagers are furious at proposals to bring hundreds of cars down a narrow, residential street for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns Golf Links in August.
They are also fighting a bid to divert a scenic section of the Fife Coastal Path from the course during play.
Kingsbarns Community Council said it won a hard fight to prevent Back Stile being used as access and to ensure the coastal path was not obstructed when planning permission was granted for the course 20 years ago.
Organiser IMG insisted it had no intention of breaching planning conditions.
Kate Holy, convener of the community council planning sub-committee, said: “We don’t object to the Open being there, as long as they play by fair rules.
“There was agreement with the local community in the late 1990s that they would not use Back Stile.
“A lot of people worked very hard to reach this agreement, that would allow the golf course to be built without harming the village. Twenty years later, we are fighting the same battle.”
The single track road, which is the only access to popular Kingsbarns Beach, could see 300 car trips daily to and from a temporary car park for tournament traffic.
Ms Holy said: “People won’t be able to get their cars in and out of their drives and if there’s an emergency they won’t be able to get help.”
Kingsbarns Community Council previously voiced anger at a proposal to have Back Stile residents show identification to gain entry to their own street.
Although the Open will be played over four days, from August 3 to 6, restrictions will be in force for eight days.
An application has been made to Scottish ministers for approval of the coastal path diversion, which IMG claims is necessary to protect the public from wayward balls and for security purposes.
Ross Hallett, IMG tournament director, said: “We continue to discuss plans for the championship with members of Kingsbarns Community Council and we have already proposed a number of amendments to our original plans based on the wishes of the council and comments received at the last meeting — including reducing vehicle numbers and removing security measures which had only been proposed to benefit local residents.
“We have no intention of breaching any planning conditions and will be discussing the matter at the community meeting on May 8, when we hope to find a solution that works for all parties.
“We plan to implement a diversion of the coastal footpath that will have minimal impact on anyone using the footpath during this period and I would reiterate that this is a short diversion only and not a closure.”
People won’t be able to get their cars in and out of their drives and if there’s an emergency they won’t be able to get help. KATE HOLY