Plans to build flats beside Kinburn Castle in St Andrews refused by councillors for second time

CAF Properties No 1 Limited have been denied permission to build four flats in the castle’s garden grounds.

North East Fife committee councillors voted 9-4 to reject the proposals in an effort to protect both the Kinburn Castle gardens and the St Andrews conservation area.

It’s not the first time that the council has considered and subsequently rejected housing plans for the estate. In 2020, the council rejected plans to build six new four-storey flats in a conservation area.

However, the Aberdeenshire based developers returned to the council this year with fresh, smaller scale plans to build four flats between Kinburn Castle and the neighbouring buildings. The new proposals were capped at two storeys.

“One of the main differences with this scheme is that the entrance to the proposed development would utilise the existing access,” planning officers explained. “The scale of the houses themselves are also quite different. It’s a much lower key development, and it’s much more considerate of the gap between the two buildings.”

Developers tried to take on board the comments from the previous rejection with planning officers adding that the new designs are a “very contemporary scheme.”

“It’s not trying to compete or be something akin to what’s on either side of it. What they’ve done is take a design of four units and sit it quite quietly within the lawn of the site,” planners stated.

However, councillors did not agree with the planning officers’ conclusion to approve the new development.

“It’s quoted that the loss of the formal garden area was a reason for past refusal. Why is it acceptable now?” Councillor Alycia Hayes (SNP for East Neuk and Landward) questioned. She also wondered how the proposals were supposed to respect the unique character of the St Andrews conservation area.

Councillor Ann Verner (SNP for St Andrews) took a stance against the traffic and access arrangements.

“I want to provide clarity for colleagues that don’t live in St Andrews – this is shocking access at the moment,” she said. “To add more traffic, I don’t see it. It’s a really busy street, and the visibility is shocking coming out.”

Councillor Jane Ann Liston (Lib-Dem for St Andrews) ultimately moved to refuse the application based on visual amenity, loss of the Kinburn Castle garden, the protection of the conservation area, building density and traffic issues.

“It doesn’t appear to fit in at all with the other surrounding buildings and it doesn’t seem to fit into the conservation area properly,” she said. “And the loss of the garden I think is appalling. It doesn’t jive with the conservation area at all.”

The decision was put to a vote and the application was refused 9-4.