A St Andrews caravan park has been given permission for 42 new pitches despite fears for the environment.
Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park had wanted to put in more static caravans with parking spaces and decking, all within the existing site.
The proposal requires the felling of a substantial number of trees included on the Scottish Natural Heritage Inventory of Ancient Woodland and Semi-Natural Woodland.
The applicant has pledged to plant new trees but councillors on north east planning committee raised concerns that the loss of so many mature trees could contribute to climate change.
Some councillors feared it could also affect habitats, including those of red squirrels.
Liberal Democrat member Jane Ann Liston said: “We’re all very aware that if you’re chopping down trees, that’s a problem for the planet.
“It would take an awful lot of convincing for me to be able to acquiesce to such a destruction as is apparently being proposed.”
Planning officers had described the application as a major development but recommended approval on condition the site owners employed a qualified ecologist to maintain a watching brief during any tree felling.
Case officer Martin Patrick said: “The proposal includes detailed off-site compensatory planting proposals, secured through a private agreement between the applicant and a third party landowner, which has been endorsed by Scottish Forestry.”
The committee voted to approve the plan by four votes to three.
