Developers to pay nearly £20,000 to address traffic concerns in Fife town after homes plan approved

In August 2023, Fife Council’s west and central Fife planning committee considered the planning application from Campion Homes and voted seven to five to approve the Windygates development on Cameron Crescent despite more than 100 public objections.

Public concerns about overwhelmed local NHS services, schools and pharmacies were dismissed, but concerns about traffic problems were harder to address.

One of the biggest points of debate was the singular access road planned for the whole site. The FIFEplan specifically states that the development should have two entrances – one from Cameron Crescent and the other via an upgraded link through Durie Place. However, Campion Homes provided ample evidence that the second entrance from Durie Place is not viable now or ever.

“It would be a major disruption to the two homes nearby. It’s not deliverable,” a planning officer agreed.

Although the development runs contrary to FIFEplan in that respect, planning officers fell back on transport guidelines which only requires one point of access for developments with less than 200 homes. As far as traffic congestion is concerned, the development will generate approximately 50 two-way car trips at rush hour times.

“That sounds like a lot, but spread out over an hour it’s not much impact,” planning officers said.

The plans were argued and ultimately approved by the local planning committee ages ago, but the formal legal agreement has finally come forward this week.

The legal agreement stipulates that Campion Homes will be on the hook for paying £19,872 to the council as a “Strategic Transport Fund Contribution.”

“[The contribution] shall be used to alleviate the key capacity issues in the strategic transport network identified in the Planning Obligations,” the agreement explained.