The East Fife Allotments Association has submitted a planning application to Fife Council to cultivate 20 plots in the privately owned field on Abercrombie Road adjacent to the Sandy Kirn footpath to the north of the village.
Commenting on the pl
ans Sarah Joselyn, secretary of the association, said: "We are pleased to submit these plans for what we hope will be the East Neuk's first allotment site.
"Allotments can offer much to local people in terms of health improvement, social interaction, physical exercise and environmental benefits.
"We believe the site also has the benefit of being easily accessible for plotholders, a design based on good allotment practice, and a location that is sympathetic to both the local environment and community opinion."
Working in partnership with Fife Council's community services the association, formed in 2007, hopes to fund the project from a variety of sources.
However, getting to this stage has not been without difficulties.
In October last year it came close to securing a site at Buckthorns Farm, by Upper Largo, but the proposal was knocked back deeming sheds and other structures detrimental to the landscape and because of the "substandard" quality of the access track.
Its St Monans plan faced public scrutiny in March when the community council expressed concerns over the site and issued around 1000 surveys to residents.
However a lacklustre response saw only 147 replies with 90 of those in favour and 57 against.
At the time Ruth Craib, secretary of the community council, said: "The main concerns from those who opposed the idea included fears of the site being an eyesore at the entrance to the village, with specific concerns on the effect to tourism, worries of attracting vandalism and a feeling that this would not be fair use of the St Monans common good fund when only a few residents would benefit from the allotments."
To address these concerns the Allotments Association has further indicated in its plans that a screen of native hedging and a buffer zone of 10 metres will prevent it looking unsightly and that all plots will take a uniformed appearance.
Two large community plots also make up part of the site allowing the whole of the village to become involved
Subject to appropriate planning consent, funding and legal matters the group hopes to develop the site in spring 2010.
Anyone interested in becoming involved should contact Mrs Joselyn on 01333 730899.
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