St Andrews holiday park appeals refusal of plans to double in size

A bid to effectively double the size of a Fife holiday park has been resurrected after an appeal against the council’s refusal of the plans was submitted to Scottish ministers.
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St Andrews Forest Lodges Limited had wished to extend the Woodland Holidays site at Kincaple by creating an additional 18 holiday lodges, a reception/manager's accommodation and biomass heating plant with associated access and landscaping to the north east of its existing complex.

However, despite planning officers seeing no reason to oppose the plan, councillors on the north east Fife planning committee voted 8-4 against the proposals in November - citing concerns about the impact the development would have on the environment and infrastructure.

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St Andrews Forest Lodges wants to add 18 more lodges to its siteSt Andrews Forest Lodges wants to add 18 more lodges to its site
St Andrews Forest Lodges wants to add 18 more lodges to its site
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Now those behind the holiday park blueprint have decided to take their fight further - by lodging an appeal with the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division.

Ian Hiddleston, agent acting on behalf of the applicants, said councillors should have followed the recommendations of planners who felt the project should be approved.

“The appellants agree in full with the evaluation of the planning application detailed within the report to committee and believe it to have been irrevocably demonstrated by the planning service that the proposals conform to all relevant policies in the development plan,” he said.

“As such there is a presumption in favour of granting planning permission but have also highlighted a number of material considerations which weigh in favour of approval.

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“The appellants respectfully request that on the basis of there being no justifiable reasons for refusing planning permission, this appeal is upheld and planning permission granted.”

The applicants said the development - adding to the 17 units already in the area - would create an extra six jobs at the site, with the potential for more.

But while there was support for the plan, there was also heavy opposition from local residents.

Sixty objections were received by the local authority, including a representation from Strathkinness Community Council, highlighting concerns ranging from the loss of arable land and the impact on the environment to noise and drainage issues.

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A Reporter will now be assigned to the case and a decision is anticipated later this year.

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