Local Plan

Finalised St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan 2009

Foreword

by Councillor John Beare, Chair of Fife Council’s Planning Committee

It is my pleasure to present the Finalised St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan 2009 as approved by Fife Council Planning Committee on 30 June 2009. This Plan replaces both the consultative draft prepared in March 2005 and the finalised draft approved for public consultation in August 2006.

The Plan implements the strategic vision set out in the Fife Structure Plan (approved by the Scottish Government earlier this year) as it applies to the St Andrews & East Fife area. It contains proposals to guide the area’s development over the 10 year period until 2018 providing land for many uses such as employment, homes, leisure and learning. A Local Plan is the basic suite of documents and policies which Fife Council will use to guide planning decisions and promote investment in Fife.

The Plan contributes toward Fife Council’s Big 8 priorities to achieve the vision of making Fife a great place to live, work and visit, in particular by:

· Helping make Fife the leading green council in Scotland

· Improving local conditions for economic development

· Increasing access to housing and

· Improving sport, leisure and cultural opportunities.

The Local Plan strategy sets out a significant programme of investment in economic development across the area – a key factor in ensuring that St Andrews & East Fife continues to balance successful, sustainable growth with local needs and demand, especially in the current economic climate.

Key proposals contained in the Plan include:-

· Higher levels of affordable housing development in local communities - 30% of all houses in the St Andrews housing market area will be affordable with 20% in the Cupar housing market area

· New business parks in Cupar and St Andrews, a science park in St Andrews linked with the University, and other employment sites throughout the Local Plan area, highlighting our commitment to assisting the creation of and sustainability of employment throughout Fife.

· Renewable energy to be incorporated into development proposals to ensure that at least 15% of the energy output is met on site.

· Greater emphasis on design and masterplanning, with developers required to consult communities to help shape better quality development for the long term.

In preparing this Local Plan, extensive consultation took place with community representatives, local interest groups, developers and elected members. The publication of the Plan gives you a further opportunity to submit comments, either written or online, on matters which you feel should be altered be that something for inclusion, amendment or deletion from the Plan. The Plan has been informed by the outcome of the 2008/09 public consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment and a revised version of the Environmental Report is being published for comment alongside the Local Plan.

Comments submitted in response to this Local Plan will be considered by Fife Council. These may result in changes being made to the Plan before any remaining representations are heard at a Local Plan Examination to be held by a Reporter appointed by the Scottish Government. Thereafter the Council hopes to be in a position to adopt the Local Plan as Council Policy during 2011.

In the meantime I reiterate thanks on behalf of Fife Council to all who have contributed to bringing the Local Plan to this stage and look forward to your further participation in progressing this Plan.

What follows is an edited and reformatted abstract from the full Local Plan and relates to Crail itself. The full Local Plan can be viewed at Crail Library or on-line at:

http://www.cartogold.co.uk/standrews_eastfife/standrews_eastfife.htm?projectId=&contentType=div&filename=section_d3774834e295.html&contentId=ID-963962-ISSUE-CRA-01&number=CRA01&mode=html

Crail - Local Plan Proposals and Development Requirements

Map Ref

Location

Area (ha)

Class/type

No of houses

Lead

CRA01

Pinkerton Farm
Phase 2

5.7

Housing

Private

This site has planning permission for 78 houses and is under construction. The remaining 73 houses are part of the existing housing land supply.

CRA02

Pinkerton Farm
Phase 3

4.6
(including post 2018)

Housing

Private

This site contributes to the East Neuk Settlements Strategic Land Allocation. Total site capacity is 100 units, of which 75 should be developed beyond the Local Plan period. Land to be safeguarded for link to St Andrews Road.

CRA03

Cemetery

0.5

Cemetery
Extension

Fife
Council

Cemetery site to be prepared for Fife Council approval. Access from Balcomie Road - via Balcomie Links Caravan Park access and through Pinkerton Farm Phase 2, and via future link to St Andrews Road.

CRA04

St Andrews Rd
(Housing)

2.5
(including post 2018)

Housing

Private

This site contributes to the East Neuk Settlements Strategic Land Allocation.
Total site capacity is 40 units, of which 20 should be developed beyond the Local Plan period.
Low density due to flood risk and safeguarding land for link road.

CRA04

St Andrews Rd
(Employment)

1.0

Employment

Private/
Fife Council

Serviced employment land for Classes 4 (business), 5 (general industrial), 6 (storage & distribution) to be an integral part of development. Housing developers will be required to provide a minimum of one hectare (net developable) of fully-serviced land for employment use, to be transferred at nil cost to Fife Council. This could include:

Class 4 business centre-type floorspace - (625 square metres after completion of first third of total housing numbers, 625 square metres after completion of two-thirds of housing); or

Two 0.25ha fully-serviced plots suitable for Class 4 business use to be transferred to Fife Council (or other not-for-profit agency) to ensure retention in employment use in perpetuity; or

a proportionate commuted sum.

Part of this site is prone to flooding – engineering solution required.
Link road between St Andrews Road, Pinkerton, and Balcomie Road.
Sites CRA02, CRA03, CRA04 and the adjacent longer-term development area are to be covered by a single Indicative Development Framework prepared by Fife Council in collaboration with landowners.

CRA05

Former Tennis Courts

0.3

Housing

Housing Assoc

This site is a Local Plan allocation.
Flatted development may be appropriate.

LW416

Crail Airfield

145.0

Tourist related residential use, outdoor events.

To be confirmed

Private

This site is a Local Plan allocation.
Part of this site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is also Listed by Historic Scotland.
Developers to prepare a development brief and undertake community consultation for Fife Council approval.

Development:

must relate sympathetically to the character of the site;

may include the continuation of some outdoor events; existing and new employment uses; multi use commercial or leisure development and holiday accommodation

may include limited housing development;

must have regard to the amount, layout and type of built development which is likely to be acceptable;

conservation or repair work should be carried out using appropriate materials to maintain building character; and

should resolve site access issues from Crail to the airfield and Crail golf courses - an alternative route will be required.