Plans for 'major expansion' for St Andrews caravan park scrapped after backlash

St Andrews Holiday Park has withdrawn their major expansion plans this week in light of community backlash.

In an email to Fife Council, developers revealed plans to forward new plans for a “much-reduced number of caravan pitches” in the new year.

Earlier this year, the owners of the in-demand park originally wanted to create 134 new caravan pitches for guests after operating near full capacity for years.

However, the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, Largoward and District Community Council, Boarhills and Dunino Community Council, and approximately 70 local residents “strongly” objected to the plans. The council also secured a number of statements of support.

Boarhills and Dunino Community Council objected to the “high degree of adverse impact” on the local landscapes and views.

“Part of this field is in the St Andrews Green Belt which we wish to defend strongly,” the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council added.

“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.”

Largoward and District Community Council also raised concerns about increasing the traffic running along the A915 through the centre of Largoward.

“The village does not have pavements on both sides of the road in places, and the volume and speed of traffic is making it increasingly difficult to cross the road,” the local council warned.

Other local objectors warned that the previously proposed expansion would alter the “iconic” view of St Andrews from the Anstruther and Crail direction.

Another warned that the 134 proposed pitches would “overwhelm” the local community population of approximately 400 people.

“[The development] will cause noise, light pollution and disturb the wildlife,” an objector stated.

The holiday park is currently spread across 16 hectares of land just outside the town of St Andrews, and it currently has a total of 434 static caravan pitches.

Welsh-based Abbeyford Leisure Ltd, the park owners, said the park is a “successful and long-established tourist business which is a very popular destination for holidaymakers.”

In a planning statement, the company said it has been operating at full capacity for years and that there are no other options for expansion within the existing park site.

“There is a growing waiting list for caravan pitches which our client cannot satisfy through the natural turnover of holiday caravans within the existing park,” a planning statement said.

“Abbeyford Leisure Ltd is committed to making a significant inward investment at St Andrews Holiday Park, which will create a further positive economic impact on the local area by generating increased holiday visitor numbers which will in turn increase spend in the local economy as well as employment opportunities.”

According to Abbeyford, there is an “unmet demand” for more holiday caravans at this “extremely popular location” overlooking St Andrews.

That’s why Abbeyford Leisure Ltd wanted planning permission to turn an agricultural field immediately to the south of a previous extension into an additional 134 static holiday caravan pitches.

The plans received support from approximately 39 local residents. However, holiday park owners have now withdrawn their plans from the Fife Council planning portal.

Abbeyford’s Leisure intended to bring smaller, revised plans back to planners sometime in 2025.