A popular caravan park in St Andrews has unveiled new expansion plans after a previous bid to add over 130 holiday homes ran into local objections.

The owners of St Andrews Holiday Park have returned to Fife Council and submitted a scaled-back application for permission to change the use of agricultural land to house 23 caravans.

Abbeyford Leisure Ltd said there was no other land it could develop, and it has a growing waiting list for caravan pitches which it cannot meet through natural turnover within the existing park.

The application comes just months after the Welsh-based owners halted plans for 134 new pitches after running into a number of objections.

Howe the new pitches could look if councillors approve the holiday park's plans (Pic: Fife Council planning papers)

placeholder image — Howe the new pitches could look if councillors approve the holiday park's plans (Pic: Fife Council planning papers)

The Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, Largoward and District Community Council, Boarhills and Dunino Community Council and approximately 70 local residents “strongly” opposed the move - which also secured a number of statements of support.

Objections from Boarhills and Dunino focused on the “high degree of adverse impact” on the local landscapes and views while the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council added: “Part of this field is in the St Andrews Green Belt which we wish to defend strongly. We wish to preserve the historic views and approach to our monuments and coast, not have them compromised by a tourist business based elsewhere only promoting their profit.”

Abbeyford said its new plan was “primarily targeted to those who wish to buy a holiday caravan and use it as a holiday home for themselves, family and friends.”

The Welsh-based owners said they envisaged that 19 of the holiday caravans would be sold to private owners, with the remaining four being retained as hire fleet by and made available for short-term holiday lets.

A supporting statement added: “The park continues to be at full capacity and there are now no other appropriate areas of land within the existing park boundaries to provide additional static holiday pitches to meet sustained demand, which has increased post COVID with holidaymakers continuing to substitute holidays abroad for staycations.

“The site identified for this proposed extension would make use of part an of arable field immediately to the south of the previously approved 43 pitch extension.”

St Andrews Holiday Park is a successful and long established tourist business which is a popular destination for holiday makers.

The holiday park covers an area of approximately 16 hectares and has a total of 434 static caravan pitches as well as a designated area for up to 50 tourers and motorhomes. In 2022, planning permission was granted to redevelop a small touring field to the north east of the park’s amenity building to provide 14 static pitches.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.