New tourism hotspot near Lochore Meadows for 80 lodges & retail gets green light

A major tourism development is on its way after Fife’s West and Central Planning Committee rubber stamped plans to build 80 holiday lodges, a cafe, and three small retail units on a farm site near Kelty on Wednesday. The 7.5 hectare site sits just north of the park along Kelty’s Great North Road. Now, developers from W J Thomson And Sons have secured permission for a suite of changes that will turn the farm land into a major tourist attraction.

According to a planning statement, the proposals are for the construction of up to 80 holiday lodges and the conversion of a “redundant agricultural building” to form a reception area, a café, and three retail units alongside the holiday lodge development.

“The proposed development will expand the tourism offer within Fife. It will also enable the establishment of a small-scale café and retail enterprises to serve local needs and visitors to the area,” the planning statement said. “The proposed development will have a minimal impact on the local environment and will, as part of sustainable high quality design proposals, increase local tree and hedgerow coverage thereby enhancing local ecological value.”

The statement continued: “The proposed development will enable the positive reuse of a redundant brownfield farm building that is no longer fit for its original purpose.”

The development attracted 31 letters of support as well as 23 letters of objection. However, Fife Council planning officers were happy to recommend approval, but some committee members, such as Councillor Alie Bain (SNP for Cowdenbeath) raised concerns about flooding.

“Quite simply, the area we’re talking about is about 100 feet below where I live, and my house is a couple hundred feet below the top of Kelty Hill Road,” he began. "That whole area floods down into the site we’re talking about. I’m not saying the drainage system won’t work but I do have concerns.”

Councillor Altany Craik (Labour for Glenrothes West and Kinglassie) also raised concerns about transport and traffic to and from the site.

“The number of journeys is [estimated] at 438 two way movements in a typical day. That’s not insubstantial,” he said. “I think this is a lot busier than I think I’m comfortable with at that junction. This development will make it a much busier road, and I think that small road is probably underpowered to deal with it. For me, it gives me pause. We’re often much more twitchy for much lower levels of traffic.”

However, the transportation assessment that was included in the planning papers raised no objections or concerns about the development. Officers highlighted that traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing will be put in across Kelty Road to help with traffic management.

“I accept the findings of the Transport assessment, and I don’t think there will be an issue,” officers said. “Reading all the information, I feel this development would be acceptable in terms of road safety aspects.”

Following councillor scrutiny, the development was approved without argument.