Fife Council has received an application to create pitches on land next to an existing travelling site at Fordelhill — a development opposed by many residents because the travellers began work last year before gaining planning permission.

Some clearing work also started on the current application site in June, but that stopped following legal action by Fife Council.

Council solicitor Fraser Munro confirmed this week that, as in the earlier case, the planning application would be separate to any legal proceedings.

"The planning application has to be decided on its merits," he said.

James Townsley, of the adjacent Roseacre development, has applied for full planning permission to change the use of the agricultural land opposite Fordelhill Farm.

He wants to establish four permanent private traveller pitches with chalet units, ancillary buildings and associated works, landscaping and formation of access.

Mr Munro said the council successfully sought an interim interdict in June against Blairgowrie man George Burke and then two further interdicts against James Townsley and Mary Stewart, the occupants of two caravans that had appeared on the site.

The caravans were moved before the interdicts could be served, while Fife Council also issued stop and enforcement notices.

The current planning application has already attracted one objection, only days after being registered, with company Datridge Ltd. saying further development of land deemed by Fife Council as not for residential use was unacceptable.

The adjacent Roseacre site generated anger among residents when the north east Fife area committee granted the development retrospective planning approval in May.

The six families living there had continued the work without planning permission and despite Fife Council obtaining interim inderdicts against them.

Two of the travellers were each fined £2000 for breaching the interdicts.