A couple whose wedding venue dreams have received a mixed reception from locals hope to reassure their future neighbours.
The new owners of Carphin House, Ruth and Ian Macallan, want to create a permanent building next to the 18th Century property so they can hold functions there.
However, their proposal has angered some in the nearby village of Luthrie, who fear it will ruin the tranquillity of the area.
Ian, 33, insisted he and Ruth, 32, who have a conservation background, want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the community where they intend to settle.
He said: “We don’t want to disrupt the village because we want to live here and we want to make sure that we are good neighbours.”
The Macallans, who met while studying at the University of St Andrews, had set their hearts on returning to Fife from London to launch their own business and start a family.
When they saw Carphin House for sale they fell in love with it and devised plans to grow the wedding business around the country mansion. The couple intend to convert the stables into a house so they can live on site.
Ian said he appreciated people’s concerns but insisted there had been some misrepresentation around their proposal for an eco-conscious wedding and events building.
He said: “We are not looking to run a wedding factory, we aim to have on average one wedding a week.
“We are a kilometre-and-a-half from the village so hopefully noise isn’t an issue but sound-proofing the building would negate that further.”
He also said the venue would adopt a no fireworks rule and had commissioned a transportation survey as part of its planning application to Fife Council.
Although the new building could cater for up to 200 guests, rather than the 160 in an existing marquee, the Macallans hope to build relationships with surrounding hotels and businesses and have around 75% of guests transported in by minibus or small coaches.
Ian said an open day for neighbours in July had been very successful and he and Ruth would happily host another if people wanted them to.
He has spoken out after a notice was erected in Luthrie calling on residents to object to the planning application, suggesting the tranquillity and safety of the village could be ruined.
It stated that thousands of vehicles could past through the community and along the core path leading to Norman’s Law and Ayton.
Owners of Lower Luthrie Farm claimed the plans could have a detrimental impact on their business, including “serious animal welfare issues and significant financial losses”.
