Controversial plans for a hotel and student accommodation in St Andrews are at risk due to “unviable” planning conditions, it has been claimed.
Fife Council insisted a tenant operator for the Travelodge at Abbey Park must be secured before the 100 student rooms are occupied .
However, four years on developer Robertson Properties says it has been unable to find anyone to run the hotel.
And this means progress on the much-needed student accommodation has also not been possible.
Robertson is now asking to drop the conditions to allow that work to start.
Hotel is ‘currently not deliverable’
The developer had hoped the project would be delivered by this time last year.
But a new planning application submitted to Fife Council says: “Efforts to secure the delivery of the hotel as required by the planning conditions have so far been unsuccessful.
“Even on its own the hotel is currently not deliverable.
“As a consequence, and specifically due to conditions, progress on the student accommodation as well as the hotel has not been possible.
“This is despite the need for new student accommodation within the town, arguably a more pressing need than more hotel bed spaces.”
Robertson says it extensively marketed the proposed hotel, to be run by a tenant under the Travelodge banner.
However despite sending a brochure to more than 50 potential investors, no meaningful interest was secured.
St Andrews hotel plan was approved after appeal to Scottish Government
The developer says it is too expensive to create infrastructure for a hotel that may never open.
However, allowing student accommodation to be built first could “unlock” the rest of the development.
“There is a greater likelihood of delivery of the consented student accommodation before the hotel,” says Robertson.
“Freeing the student accommodation to come forward offers the opportunity for some shared infrastructure.”
The original planning application was refused by Fife councillors following a campaign by a residents’ action group.
They feared it would ruin the quiet St Andrews conservation area with a mainly older population.
However, the decision was overturned by a Scottish Government reporter on appeal.
Conversation