In 2022 construction started on the development site misnamed as “Poppyfields” at Pattiesmuir. What many do not know is that the design of the houses is now wholly changed from the original planning permissions. The development has damaged the environment and wildlife whilst inappropriate “villas” are being plonked onto land adjacent to a designated conservation area.

The community are NOT opposed to development in Pattiesmuir, in general. Planning permission was initially granted in 2017 for 8 cottage style houses, designed to blend in with the existing streetscape. However, over recent months a complete disregard has been shown towards:

• The original design concept
• The planning conditions set by Fife Council Planning Committee
• The rights of access and ownership of land.

The infrastructure of the village cannot currently support additional housing and the extra vehicles that Pattiesmuir Poppyfields will result in. Despite forewarnings, the fact that there are outstanding disputes regarding land access has been ignored.

Scant attention has been paid to the integrity of other villagers’ property, the environment, wildlife, or health and safety. The community has discovered that the many statutory organisations are so understaffed that little action is taken when regulations are broken. Fife Planning Department have made it clear that any dispute over right of access and ownership is regarded as a civil matter – for which read expensive legal costs to assert rights.

Pattiesmuir is an historic hamlet and its integrity should not go ignored. There is a growing movement to:

1. Protect the heritage and amenity of the village
2. Protect rights of access and ownership
3. Inform others of the true story of this project

Armed with this knowledge, potential buyers should be concerned not only about the infrastructure, but about whether these new homes are really appropriate to the historic and fragile hamlet of Pattiesmuir.

Learn more about the history of the village on the History page and the sorry story of the Pattiesmuir Poppyfields development on the blog posts accessed from the Home page.