Plans for a new “world-class” golf development near St Andrews have been green lit by Fife Council.
The owners of the luxury Fairmont Hotel resort unveiled plans last year for a new championship-grade course to be created from the existing 18-hole Torrance and Kittocks courses.
St Andrews Bay Development (SABD), which bought the site in 2019, applied to Fife Council for permission to extend the course, as well as for the construction work required to develop the site.
The local authority has now approved the development which bosses hope, when complete, will attract European Tour events and become one of the top 100 courses in the world.
The vision for the new course is to take the best parts of the two existing courses, which wrap themselves around the Fairmont Hotel, to create a major new attraction.
The direction of some holes will be changed with new tees and greens also created.
It is also proposed the existing 15th hole on the Kittocks course will become the 12th hole on the new, adjusted course.
These alterations, the developers say, are to “provide a more dramatic clifftop experience on some new spectacular golf holes”.
Plans are a ‘substantial financial investment’
In a supporting statement submitted with the planning application, the owners detailed their long-term vision for the development.
They said: “The aim of the SABD since purchasing the resort is to significantly enhance the resort’s standing in world golf.
“To achieve this aim it will be necessary to establish a single championship standard golf course out of the best and most dramatic parts of the resort land.
“The creation of a world renowned top 100 golf course if the first phase of a wider aim in repositioning the resort in world golf destinations.”
They added: “The proposal represents a very substantial financial investment by the new owners with the intention of bringing long lasting economic benefits to the resort and the St Andrews area as a whole.”
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