Developers behind a controversial Fife golf course development say amended plans have met a “reasonably positive” response.
Scotia Investments, who propose to turn an area of greenbelt land off the A915 outside St Andrews into a private golf club, have put revised plans for a clubhouse on display at Cameron Hall.
Neil Gray, a Colliers International planning consultant acting on behalf of Scotia, said he was pleased with the response from the public.
He said: “A range of people have been in residents and people from neighbouring golf courses. So far the response has been reasonably positive.
“What most people are saying is the proposal is very much smaller and more to their expectations. What they are finding out is the business plan is different to the previous application. There is a lot more local involvement.”
American billionaire Tim Blixseth was previously behind a Yellowstone Club World bid to transform the land at Feddinch into a golf course. However, Yellowstone went into liquidation.
Mr Gray said there were key differences between Scotia’s proposal for St Andrews International Golf Club and the previous plans drawn up by Yellowstone. He said the public would be able to use the golf course in the winter and also make use of spa facilities in a converted farmhouse.
The clubhouse will include a 35-room hotel and planning permission is dependent on a £6 million financial bond. A planning application is set to be lodged next month.
Work on the course could be under way by the end of the month and the £1.5 million financial bond required as insurance should the development fail is expected to be secured this week.
The plans have faced opposition because the course and clubhouse would be built on greenbelt land and concerns have been raised that work may have started on site before planning permission was granted, but the developers rejected such allegations.
The proposal has even been compared to Donald Trump’s controversial project to build a golf course at the Menie Estate near Aberdeen.
But Mr Gray insisted, “In this case the applicant is working with the planning system and is in fact doing more than the planning system requires for an application like this.
“The message is for people to come over and see for themselves what is being proposed and make up their minds.”