Against Aberdour Candidate Sites

This petition objects to the proposed developments around the village of Aberdour designated ABD001, ABD002, ABD003 and ABD004.

Aberdour is a scenic, historic village in Fife. It has won numerous awards including Britain in Bloom accolades. Its historic setting and beautiful landscapes make it a wonderful destination for visitors and a great place to live. Few wish to witness the erosion of this wonderful part of Fife. The region of Fife should protect its picturesque landscapes, towns and villages as part of its economic strategy and promotion of wellbeing.

There is little evidence that the destruction of countryside will benefit Aberdour’s local economy or community. It will not enhance Aberdour or Fife’s reputation for visitors. Past increases in housing stock in Aberdour have not resulted in more shops; in fact there has been an inverse relationship partly due to the presence of larger shops in nearby towns. Aberdour has historically geared itself towards tourism and local visitors.

This petition commends the sensible decision not to support ABD001a, ABD002 and ABD004 because of the scale of the proposals and degradation to the considerable value landscapes.

About ABD003

ABD003 is a green field site and would extend the village envelope. The landscapes around Aberdour are of considerable value and attractiveness. Development of ABD003 would make it harder to stop further developments, such as ABD004. Access to ABD003 would need to be established from the main road since Bellhouse Road terminates naturally in a logically planned cul-de-sac from which new development could not stem. The cul-de-sac forms a suitable conclusion to the village envelope in the area. We oppose the kind of disjointed planning that would arise if ABD003 were granted. ABD003 is prime agricultural land and another site should be found. ABD003 is situated at the entrance to the village and could undermine the approach to this attractive visitor destination. The utility of 20 extra homes does not outweigh the wider disadvantages. More suitable locations exist within Fife.

About ABD004

ABD004 is not a suitable site for the development of homes. The field affords stunning vistas of the Firth of Forth and Inchcolm Island on approach to the village. Such are the impressive views a popular viewing point is located at the top of Mains Brae, a very short distance from the proposed site. The proposed development would undermine the attractive approach to this beautiful and historic village. The proposed site is a green field on prime agricultural land. Identified access points do not provide good line of sight or vision in both directions for road vehicles. Nor will such development solve existing congestion problems on that stretch of road (particularly in summer months). There appears to be no means of secondary access without considerable alteration to local streets.