"No Visitor Centre" For St. Andrews

Ambitious plans for a visitor centre at one of Fife's most prestigious beaches have been rejected due to concerns that it would 'offend golfers' at St Andrews’ Old Course.

Ambitious plans for a visitor centre at one of Fife's most prestigious beaches have been rejected due to concerns that it would 'offend golfers' at St Andrews’ Old Course.

The sand dune-shaped building, described as iconic and radical, would have housed a visitor centre, a cafe and toilet block on the West Sands in St Andrews.  The proposed plans also included a new lifeguard station, recreational area and a boardwalk.

But the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, which put forward the proposals, say councillors have rejected new public facilities `in favour of the golfing elite`.

Fife Council’s decision to deny planning consent for the trust’s ambitious development means the loss of cash from several sources including £1.3 million from a Coastal Communities Fund.