In summary, I firmly believe that the proposal constitutes unnecessary, inappropriate
and unsustainable development extending beyond the built up limits of the village into the
attractive open countryside surrounding Cardenden, Fife. Its proposed layout, form, design and
location would produce a form of development incongruous, which fails to respond to local character, landscape and surrounding context. It shall have a detrimental effect on the current population of the village and current way of life. The town of Cardenden has a population of approximately 5,264, according to the 2022 Scottish Census. This proposed development, reviewing the current area plan, shall accommodate circa 430 new dwellings. With an average household of three, this would increase the population of the village by an extra 1,290 people, with an average household of four, this would increase the population of the village by 1720 people, an approximate 32.68% increase of the population. The road infrastructure in the village itself and entering and leaving shall become congested and unsafe for use. The local facilities of nursery, school, dentist, shops, local parking etc are insufficient to accommodate this drastic increase in population. And as such this application should be refused as harming the visual and rural amenities of the area. 
The proposal is also contrary to Fife Council FIFEplan policies Policy 7: Development in the Countryside, Policy 8: Houses in the Countryside, Policy 9: Green Belt, Policy 10: Amenity, Policy 12 - Flooding and the Water Environment, Policy 13 - Natural Environment and Access and Scottish Government guidance contained within the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the UK Government National Design Guide 2021.

Specific Concerns:

Traffic and Access: 
I object to the proposed development due to increase stress on infrastructure, including waste disposal, roads and parking. The increased traffic generated by this development will negatively impact highway safety, particularly on existing narrow roads, to the East of the development Main Road as the main road into and out of the village and also Bluebell Gardens Road to the North. The average number of cars per household for Fife, making reference to the Scottish Government, FOI reference FOI/202200321397 Published 31 October 2022, was 1.20 in the year 2020. This figure shall possibly have increased for the year 2025. With the possibility of circa 430 new dwellings for this development, this shall lead to a possible additional 516 cars driving through the village or using the surrounding class B roads that do not have the capacity for this additional traffic. This additional noise and traffic shall effect not only mine but the village’s living conditions and quality of life.

Environmental Impact:
I object to the proposed development due to the development's impact on the local environment, such as loss of green spaces, biodiversity, or potential pollution. This proposed development, reviewing the current area plan, shall not protect or enhance natural heritage and access assets. Tree or hedgerow removal can affect drainage, soil stability, wildlife habitat, hunting, atmosphere, and appearance of the area. This proposed development shall have a negative effect on nature conservation, environment and access. For example, seasonal returning birds that return to nesting sites in the area, a local bat population, local deer. Habitats are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It shall destroy trees and hedgerows that have a landscape, amenity, or nature conservation value, biodiversity in the wider environment, landscape character and views, green networks and greenspaces and core paths, cycleways, bridleways, existing rights of way, established footpaths. This contradicts Fife Council FIFEplan Policy 13 - Natural Environment and Access.
Fife Council FIFEplan Policy 7: Development in the Countryside, advises-Development on prime agricultural land will not be supported except where it is essential. The protection and enhancement of the built, natural, and historic qualities of the countryside are important considerations and these attributes must be maintained and enhanced wherever possible.

Amenities:
I object to the proposed development due to the impact on visual amenity, the views and surroundings that create the backdrop Cardenden. The proposal would lead to compact, built development on greenfield, agricultural land beyond the physical extents of Cardenden and into the attractive countryside surrounding the village. This would have an adverse visual impact on the landscape, resulting from the extension of the village and encroachment of built development onto a greenfield space, which has an unspoilt, rural character. The development would be clearly visible at short and more distant range from highways and public rights of way extending out into the countryside. This would harm the rural character and appearance of this attractive landscape to the South of the village

The residential amenity impact for myself shall be overwhelming as the development will overlook my property and significantly reduce my privacy on the North, West and South of my property. There shall also be a residential amenity impact of local residences on the North and East of the development, with possible reduction in sunlight/daylight.

Coal Mining Areas and Planning: 
A large number of coal workings are known to have operated in and around the village. Some of the older mines of Dundonald Colliery were also located in the Carden Den and in the lands immediately to the West and South-West of the Den, the exact location of the proposed development. 
With this coal mining legacy comes land instability, unstable land and sunken fields that flood on a yearly basis all along the North boundary of the proposed development. With the required ground works and over-weight of the new development there is a concern that this could effect land movement effecting the development and the existing properties to the North.

Flooding Zones:
The whole North of the development shall be located on the sunken fields that flood on a yearly basis, acting as a functional floodplain. Has it been taken into account of the probability of flooding and the risks involved to the new development and the existing properties to the North. The Fife Council’s Flood Team published Version 3 of the Design Criteria Guidance on Flooding and Surface Water Management Plan Requirements, has this been reviewed in line with the proposed development. 

Fife Council FIFEplan Policy 12 - Flooding and the Water Environment states that, 
“Development proposals will only be supported where they can demonstrate that they will not, individually or cumulatively:
1. increase flooding or flood risk from all sources (including surface water drainage measures) on the site or elsewhere;
2. reduce the water conveyance and storage capacity of a functional flood plain;
3. detrimentally impact on future options for flood management;

Drainage Assessments, proportionate to the development proposal and covering both surface and foul water, will be required for areas where drainage is already constrained or otherwise problematic, or if there would be off-site effects.”
It goes on to highlight, “New development should avoid the functional floodplain” and then also “Low to medium risk areas (where annual probability of flooding is between 0.1% and 0.5% or 1:1,000 years to 1:200 years) are generally not suitable for civil infrastructure. Development which has a detrimental impact on a functional floodplain will not be supported.”

Neighbour Notification and Publicity:
Fife Council Planning guidance document advises, “From 3rd August 2009, the requirement to notify neighbours about a proposed development will be carried out by Fife Council as the Planning Authority. Neighbouring land is identified as “An area or plot of land which, or part of which, is conterminous with, or within 20 metres of the boundary of the land for which the development is proposed”. Fife Council will notify neighbours within 3 days of validating an application.  This letter will advise you of the timescale for the consultation period” Myself and all other residents of Cardenden are yet to notified of the proposed development which was raised on Fife Council Planning Portal on 27th May 2025. This proposed development, over a 10 year period shall have a considerable detrimental effect on the way of life for myself and the whole of Cardenden village. When shall Fife Council be engaging with the local people to discuss this proposed development?

For all of these reasons we urge the Council to refuse this application.