By Gordon Berry

PROPOSALS FOR a multi- million-pound tourism-related development close to the Old Course in St Andrews have just been approved by councillors.

The decision by members of Fife Council’s east area development committee was, however, reached only after strong concerns were expressed about potential traffic problems in the area, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club questioned the scheme’s viability.

The application involves the former Grand Hotel at the Scores, which has more recently been run as a university hall of residence. The applicants, Wasserman Real Estate, of Providence, Rhode Island, had been seeking change of use to form a private club which will include 25 holiday apartments and ancillary facilities.

An objection to the scheme had been submitted by the community council, which raised issues of parking, traffic generation and the appearance of the roof as it will affect the town’s skyline.

There were a number of other representations, including one from St Andrews Preservation Trust and others from the owners of the nearby Scores Hotel and from agents acting for the Royal and Ancient.

In a report to the committee planner Grant Baxter said that the building, standing six/seven storeys high, has distinctive tower corners and domes and had originally been designed as the Grand Hotel and opened around 1895.

He said the sale of the property by the university is related to the need to construct purpose-built halls of residence which can meet present standards.

The proposals had been assessed against the development plan and he felt that they were acceptable in principle and would protect and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area without detrimentally affecting the town’s medieval skyline.

He said that while no additional parking is proposed to serve a development which will also have no off-street parking, transport officials had indicated that the situation is acceptable.

This point was backed up by transport official Peter Milne, who attended the meeting.

He said the development would be “car-free” and that there was enough parking nearby.

Mr Baxter stressed in his report that the developers would have to agree a traffic management plan for the construction phase so that pedestrian and vehicle disruption and congestion would be limited.

In a letter to the committee on behalf of the Royal and Ancient chartered architects Wellwood Leslie pointed out that in the longer term the “viable re-use” of Hamilton Hall would be welcomed but there was concern over construction activity and the impact on business and tourism.

At present, it was pointed out, parking can be difficult to find in the area, the development of Hamilton Hall for timeshare accommodation will lead to increased pressure on parking and that the requirement for residents to drop off and pick up luggage will cause congestion on one of the busiest roads in the area.

The club also asked if the financial viability of the development had been considered, and referred to a failed scheme involving the nearby Gateway building at North Haugh and to another planned golfing development at Feddinch, close to the town.

In the Feddinch case, said the R&A, it had been considered necessary for developers to confirm that finance is in place before the project was allowed to commence.

“Clearly it would be equally undesirable for a development such as this to be halted during demolition or construction phases, and for the completion of the project to be uncertain,” said the letter.

Although the application was eventually passed unanimously, during the discussion local councillor Bill Sangster said he was “very concerned” over the loss of more student accommodation in the town centre.

This, he said, could make the problem of houses in multiple occupancy even worse.

He also raised the question of traffic impact in what he called a “very sensitive area” close to the 18th green of the Old Course.