THE FUTURE OF STRATHKINNESS?

The question of the future of Strathkinness has been given added meaning

with a recently published draft plan for development of the area.

At a packed public meeting, called by the Community Council, held in the

Church Hall on 22 September, 1986 over 150 people heard Mr. Jim Hanson,

a member of the North East Fife Planning Department, explain the reason

for the draft plan.

The District Council has been obliged to draw up a plan which must fit in

with the Region’s Structural Plan which is looking for 10—15 hectares (a

hectare is slightly under two and a half acres) of land to fulfil their estimate

of housing needs in the St. Andrews area within the next ten years or so. As

no more periphal housing is, at present, to be permitted in St. Andrews, its

hinterland is being considered. The plan presents a possible massive develop-

ment of Strathkinness with up to 390 new houses and a doubling or even

trebling of the population.

The sewage system of Strathkinness, first constructed in 1956 and later

improved in 1984, and which also includes parts of Blebo Craigs, can only

cope with 1000 people. It cannot be improved because the amount of material

the Kinness Burn can take is limited, by its flow, to that number of people.

This maximum number has already nearly been reached, and the enormous cost

of a new sewage treatment system can only be afforeded if there is a very

large increase in the number of houses. If Strathkinness is the site preferred

it could accommodate the entire projected housing needs of North East Fife.

If it is not the preferred site the alternative would be smaller developments

in other villages such as Dairsie, Balmullo, Guardbridge, Leuchars, Kincaple

or Ceres. Although these places also have sewage problems they are less acute

than that of Strathkinness and their expected development would be

smaller.

The proposal for Strathkinness includes possible development in both fields

on the east side of Main Street, and a complete infil of Bonfield Road, with

a road from the High Road cutting through Bonfield Road leading into lower

Main Street, and the present entrance of Bonfield Road to Main Street being

closed to traffic.

The full, concerned and, on the whole, reasoned discussion, which followed

Mr. Hanson’s explanation shows there is very considerable opposition, with a

few supporters of the draft plan. The opposition was focused mainly on

the doubt whether such a need actually exists, the destruction of the quality

of the village life, its inability to absorb so many people as quickly as may be

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