Plans on hold to divert public right of way in Dalgety Bay

Members of the South West Fife area committee will undertake a site visit to the footpath at Donibristle Farm Cottage, Carrick Grove, before taking a decision.

Councillor Patrick Browne said: "I was surprised when I saw this report.

"Carrick Grove connects an area, which I think has quite a lot of elderly people, to the church, the community centre, and it's on the route to the shopping centre so it is well used."

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He said that, compared to a few years ago, the path has "deteriorated a lot", it was no longer tarmac and "it's quite muddy so it's not conducive to people walking there".

Work has already started in the area as an application was approved last year to erect a "residential glamping pod" for an elderly family member.

The public right of way, which goes through the applicant's land, is next to the Dalgety Bay Squash and Tennis Club. (Image: Google Maps)

It would go in the paddock area next to the cottage, which is owned by the applicant, Mrs Nicola McKendrick, and next to the tennis club.

The existing public path runs through her land, between the cottage and the paddock, and the plan is to divert it around the perimeter of the paddock instead and put up new fencing.

However Cllr Browne said that with fencing on both sides and no lighting, the route would feel "oppressive" and went on: "I know the diversion adds 59 metres which may not seem much to the people at this meeting but 59m if you're an elderly person or have mobility issues, that's nearly 200 feet."

He said he did not believe the alternative route met the criteria of being "reasonable and expedient in terms of improving the local path network".

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Committee convener, Cllr David Barratt, said he'd had complaints about the current state of the path and that while there is a condition that "requires it to be put back to a proper tarmac surface" there was nothing to say when that should be done.

Backing the request, he said the proposals had already been through the planning system - although it was approved by officers rather than councillors - and members of the public could have objected at that stage.

Cllr Barratt said the applicant had also agreed to lower the height of the proposed fencing and pointed out that the path doesn't have lighting at the moment.

Cllr Browne moved for refusal but the committee agreed to a site visit instead.