Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Fresh planning bid submitted for St Andrews seaside sauna

The application is for a new location, three weeks after councillors rejected similar plans.

The Elie Seaside Sauna at Elie Harbour. Picture by Suzanne Black.
The Elie Seaside Sauna at Elie Harbour. Picture by Suzanne Black.

New plans for a steamy seaside sauna in St Andrews have been submitted to Fife Council.

Judith Dunlop went back to the drawing board after councillors rejected her application for the Bruce Embankment car park.

And she is now proposing a similar venture next to the East Sands Leisure Centre.

Image show East Sands Beach, St Andrews at low tide. In the foreground is sand and the sea and pier are in the background.
The sauna would overlook the East Sands.

The converted shipping container would sit in the corner of the sports centre car park, overlooking the sea.

Ms Dunlop already operates the highly successful Elie Seaside Sauna and says she is repeatedly asked when the venture will be available in St Andrews.

She says: “Having operated in Elie over the winter, it has become apparent that much of the demand for its services comes from St. Andrews.

“Local residents, students, tour operators and other visiting tourists all travel to Elie to use the sauna on a regular basis.”

‘Excellent solution to chilly climate’

Ms Dunlop’s planning statement adds: “St Andrews is a coastal town renowned for its picturesque beaches and stunning natural surroundings.

“However, the often chilly and damp climate can make it challenging for residents and visitors to fully enjoy the area’s outdoor offerings.

East Sands Leisure Centre in St Andrews.
The sauna would sit in a corner of the leisure centre car park.

“A sauna at East Sands could prove an excellent solution to this problem, offering a cosy and relaxing space where people can warm up and unwind.”

She says regular sauna use has health benefits.

And she continues “Such a facility could serve as a gathering place for the community, fostering social connections and promoting wellness.

“A temporary sauna by the sea could enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike, while also highlighting the town’s natural beauty and promoting tourism.”

Public can comment on St Andrews seaside sauna plans

Ms Dunlop’s original application overlooking West Sands was refused after councillors ruled it was not suitable for St Andrews conservation area.

They said the log-powered sauna with changing area and large double-glazed window was not compatible with the surroundings.

Members of the public have until February 16 to comment on the new plans, which can be found on the Fife Council planning portal.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.

Conversation