Four flats and one house at Drumskaith, St Andrews
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by Fife Planning Committee; West and Central Area Planning Committee; North East Planning Committee on 16 Sept 2026.
What was proposed
The application proposed four flats within the existing house, one new house, extensions, parking, access changes, landscaping and associated works.
“Application for Full Planning Permission Ref: 25/02174/FULL Site Address: Drumskaith, 8 Donaldson Gardens, St Andrews Proposal: Change of use of dwellinghouse (Class 9) to form 4 no. flatted dwellings (Sui Generis) with erection of extension and external alterations, erection of 1 no.”
“The applicant seeks planning permission to subdivide the Class 9 dwellinghouse into 4 flatted dwelling units (2 bedrooms in each). As part of the conversion some extensions and external alterations are also proposed. Further to that the proposal also includes the proposed erection of 1 no. new dwellinghouse as well as the formation of car parking and the alterations to the existing access and boundary walls.”
Officer report
The site and setting
The site contained a traditional six-bedroom house with a large garden, mature planting and stone boundary wall in the Hepburn Gardens conservation area.
“This application relates to an existing unlisted two-storey, six-bedroom dwellinghouse with large garden area and driveway situated within a residential area within the Hepburn Gardens conservation area and settlement boundary of St Andrews as designated in the adopted FIFEplan (2017).”
Officer report
What consultees and residents said
Several council services and Scottish Water raised no objections, while Built Heritage and the community council objected and residents submitted objections and one supporting comment.
“Scottish Water No objections TDM, Planning Services No objection subject to conditions Natural Heritage, Planning Services No objection subject to conditions Built Heritage, Planning Services Object…”
Officer report
The committee’s alternative view
An amendment proposed refusal because the development’s scale would adversely affect visual amenity and the conservation area under the stated policies and guidance.
“Amendment Councillor Lawson, seconded by Councillor Liston, moved an amendment to refuse the application on the grounds that the proposed development was contrary to Policies 7 and 14 of National Planning Framework 4 (2023); Policies 1, 10 and 14 of the Adopted FIFEplan Local Development Plan (2017); and Hepburn Gardens Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (2016) – as the scale of the proposed development would result in an adverse impact on visual amenity and on…”
Minutes
The final decision
The committee refused the application because its scale would adversely affect visual amenity and the conservation area, delegating the full refusal wording for finalisation.
“Decision The committee:- (1) agreed to refuse the application on the grounds that the proposed development was contrary to Policies 7 and 14 of National Planning Framework 4 (2023); Policies 1, 10 and 14 of the Adopted FIFEplan Local Development Plan (2017); and Hepburn Gardens Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (2016) – as the scale of the proposed development would result in an adverse impact on visual amenity and on the conservation area; and (2) delegated…”
Minutes
The members' reasons
The members' reasons are quoted from the minutes above, under “The final decision” and “The committee’s alternative view”.
Sources
- Fife Planning Committee; West and Central Area Planning Committee; North East Planning Committee minutes, 16 September 2026
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Fife's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- Fife Planning Committee; West and Central Area Planning Committee; North East Planning Committee
- Council
- Fife
- Date
- Wednesday 16 September 2026
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Refused, against officer advice
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Fife committee decisions →
This committee's year
29 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting, 6 against officer advice.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.