Golf body buys land in battle with coastal erosion in St Andrews

St Andrews Links Trust acquires three fields on western extremity of its six courses

Coastal erosion is a threat to the land that is occupied by six of the seven courses operated by St Andrews Links Trust. Picture: St Andrews Links Trust

A threat from coastal erosion has led St Andrews Links Trust to buy land close to the most famous chunk of golfing terrain in the world.

Three fields have been acquired from Easter Kincaple Farm, which sits to the western extremity of the land that has six courses on it.

The newly-announced purchase represents a “strategic investment” by the Links Trust as part of ongoing sustainability, land and coastal management activity to protect and maintain the future of the links.

Over the past 15 years, the Links Trust and its partners have undertaken significant dune restoration work on the West Sands amounting to the largest and longest-running dune restoration programme in Scotland as well as beach feeding and salt marsh planning on the Eden coastline which have provided protection against coastal erosion across the Links.

In August 2021, Dynamic Coast Scotland published a report outlining a number of potential adaptation and resilience options for the Links, which identified the newly-purchased land as an area of potential weakness.

Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust said: “I am pleased we have been able to complete the acquisition of this land adjacent to the Links, which will allow us to enhance our ongoing efforts to protect and build resilience against the threat of coastal erosion and flooding.

“As we are seeing elsewhere in Scotland and throughout the world, the threat of coastal erosion is not only an issue that we have to plan for in future years but something which is already having an impact on coastal communities and facilities.

“Not only does this land allow us to add to our coastal defences it also helps protect against any potential future development by third parties. We have no immediate plans for development of the land other than to enhance coastal erosion mitigations.

“However, while the decision to purchase has primarily been taken on environmental grounds to combat coastal erosion, it may offer opportunities for future expansion of the Links and its facilities in years to come.”