Holiday park to sit between Kelty and Lochore Meadows

W J Thomson and Sons can now turn 7.4 hectares of their Hilton of Beath Farm - which was the home of the Central and West Fife Agricultural Show - into a major tourism development.

The site is off Great North Road, to the east of Kelty, and the family say the holiday park will create jobs, increase visitor numbers to the Meedies and provide an economic boost to businesses in the village.

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However, there is a medium-to-high risk of flooding at that location and Councillor Alie Bain said: "Quite simply the area is about 100 feet below where I live and my house is a couple of hundred feet below the top of Keltyhill Road.

Plans for 80 holiday lodges, the Cow Shed Cafe and three shops were approved last week by the west and central planning committee. (Image: Fife Council)

"That whole area floods down into the area we're talking about.

"I'm not saying the drainage system won't work but I do have concerns."

At the west and central planning committee, planning officer Scott Simpson said he had been "going back and forward with Sepa for about a year" as they had initially objected.

However, some changes were made to the proposals and he reassured councillors that the environment watchdog had now confirmed "the site won't be at risk of flooding".

The land was previously in use as Kelty railway station from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century, and a southern section is within a coal mining "high risk" area.

Plans were first outlined in the summer of 2020, further details were supplied in 2021 and the latest application attracted 31 letters of support and 23 objections.

An existing agricultural building - which is in a "state of disrepair" - will be converted into the Cow Shed Cafe and three retail units, as well as the holiday lodge reception, office area and maintenance store.

The rundown agricultural shed will be turned into a cafe, three shops, the holiday lodge reception, office and maintenance room, while the lodges will be built on the green field behind it. (Image: Fife Council)

The cafe will have an outdoor terraced seating area and a play park nearby, there will also be an internal road to the lodges, landscaping, tree planting and parking.

The access from Great North Road, which would serve the holiday park, is already used by people visiting the country park.

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There were objections to do with noise, increase in traffic, impact on biodiversity and wildlife, loss of privacy, lack of information, light pollution, visual impact, loss of animals and nature, road safety and that it would set a precedent for future development in a rural environment.

Cllr Altany Craik was concerned about the volume of traffic on Great North Road and more drivers heading through Kelty to get onto the M90 motorway.

He said: "The estimated number of journeys was 438 two-way movements on a typical day. That is not insubstantial.

"When people are on holiday, especially if they've got youngsters, they'll be in and out quite of that site a lot. My concern is the impact on the locality.

An image of what the new holiday park, at Hilton of Beath Farm on the outskirts of Kelty, will look like. (Image: Fife Council)

"Eighty lodges plus shops, I think this is going to be very busy and the small road leading to it is probably under-powered so for me it gives me pause.

"We're often much more twitchy for much lower levels of traffic."

The committee approved the change of use from agricultural land to holiday park, subject to conditions and the conclusion of a legal agreement.

The Thomson's will pay £5,189 towards a new signalised pedestrian crossing on the Great North Road - creating a safer walking route between Kelty and the Meedies - and instal lights between the development and the road.