National Pride hope to start building in Fife by early 2027

The land at St Ninians and Loch Fitty was purchased by community interest company National Pride over three years ago. It hopes to create a facility that enables visitors to enjoy being close to the natural world.

Plans include a wellness spa complex, tree houses, lodges and geodesic domes, a technology park, and an entertainment centre.

Fishing enthusiasts may be pleased to hear of ambitions to rehabilitate the water of Loch Fitty to allow people to fish and take part in other aquatic activities such as sailing and rowing.

(Image: National Park)

It is hoped that the development will provide a boost for the local economy through investment and job creation.

But significant work lies ahead, with directors describing it as a twenty-year project with a staggered approach.

Technical director of National Pride Andy Whitlock said: “The reason it will take so long is that we’re looking at creating a parkland on St Ninians.

“Trees grew uncontrolled since 2016, and the way they were planted just created a very dense dark overhead canopy which killed all the ecology underneath, so they’ve got to be removed.

“We do have incredibly rare species on the site that must be protected at all costs. That includes red squirrels, cuckoos, badgers, and otters. Removing the trees as a fire hazard protects them.

“After that we’ve got to uncompact all the soil and introduce organic material.

“Then we’ve got to do the planting which will mainly be broadleaf species. They’ll take about 12 years to grow to maturity.”

The company has already invested a “significant seven figure sum” on the project.

Mr Whitlock said: “We’ve spent a huge amount of money removing tonnes and tonnes of dog and human excrement. We’ve removed an enormous number of tyres out of Loch Fitty, and we spent a lot of the past two years rehabilitating the site.”

321 units of short-term accommodation including lodges and hotels are included in plans, much of which will be used to house key staff.

Mr Whitlock said: “Having people live on the site means that they’ll take care of it much better, and if they’re not travelling in then it reduces our carbon footprint which is in line with Fife Council’s aims.”

“The site will need a lot of people. It will almost be like a university campus arrangement, where you can mix with likeminded people. The chances are this would be free as part of the enhanced employment package.”

It is understood that employees who come from the local area will still be able to live on site. There will also be temporary rented accommodation for visitors to use.

Consultations took place in Kingseat and Kelty, with both communities offering similar feedback.

Residents are keen to be ensure that they will still be able to use the site for walking their dogs. National Pride have assured that the facility will be open access, with dog walking allowed.

Mr Whitlock added: “We like to think of ourselves as custodians of the land instead of owners, which is key.”

It's expected that the project’s application will be considered by the planning committee in January 2025, after directors have a chance to communicate with the statutory consultees.

Chair of National Pride Irene Bisset said: “The plans in fife council’s words are ambitious, but they like that. They’ve been really supportive and helpful, which is great because that’s not normal with councils.

"It will be done in phases, but we expect to get our planning in principle by January next year, although nothing is guaranteed.

"Then it’s probably another 12 to 18 months to get get detailed planning, so it’s probably by the end of 2026 or around the start of 2027 before that we can actually start building.

The plans for the 976 acre site, at the old St Ninian's mine, are ambitious. (Image: National Park)

“Everybody talks about how horrendous planning is, and we understand that it’s not an easy job, but the fact that we have that good working relationship is like gold dust to us.”

The final five years of the plan will see the creation of a museum focusing on the area’s mining history.

Irene added: “It’s not about going back to the harsh old days, it’s about going back to that community life that was evident at the time when everybody lived, worked, and played in the area.

“There’s still a lot of that in Kelty particularly, but the heart was ripped out when the mining industry fell. It’s about replacing that with something modern and giving them something to be proud of.”