Hundreds of new homes have been approved in the St Andrews West expansion zone.
Up to 370 homes will be built over eight years in the scheme promoted by Mount Melville.
The multi-million development at Craigtoun North, on 17 hectares of land south-west of Younger Gardens, will also feature business and retail premises and a community hub, possibly including a hotel, pub and restaurant and health centre.
The St Andrews West LLP consortium, which is behind the wider expansion plans for the town, had warned against allowing the application for one part of the strategic development area (SDA) to be determined in isolation.
It claimed approving Craigtoun North could undermine the delivery of the balance of the SDA which is earmarked for 1,090 new homes, and that the 370 units proposed were disproportionate to the size of the site.
However, Fife Council’s north east planning committee unanimously approved the planning application in principle on Wednesday.
Further details of the development will be set out and determined through a subsequent planning application.
A report for the committee said a phasing plan, involving the construction of 40 homes a year, set out how the development would proceed.
It said: “The phasing plan shows the affordable housing and the easternmost market housing being delivered first.
“This would be the first development in the first two years. The employment land and retail would begin to be delivered in year three with the full community hub and employment area being delivered by year six.
“The applicant sees the full site being delivered by year eight.”
It went on: “The proposed early delivery of this site would not prejudice the wider delivery of the SDA which is important.
“In principle the development is therefore considered acceptable, however this would be subject of detailed consideration of the proposal against the other policies within the development plan.”
Planning consent is subject to conclusion of a legal agreement securing financial contributions towards road upgrades, part of the proposed link road between Craigtoun Road and Strathkinness Low Road, and primary school and secondary school capacity.
