Fife Council To Implement Further Clearance Works Along Kinness Burn

Fife Council has announced plans to remove sediment and vegetation from a 100-metre section of the Kinness Burn in St Andrews, following an earlier vegetation clearance along the watercourse.

The planned work comes as Fife Council continues its wider efforts to manage flooding across Fife. The Council’s report on St Andrews noted that heavy rainfall can send substantial run-off from the hills south and west of the town into local watercourses.

The next phase is scheduled to begin on Monday 26 October and is expected to take approximately two weeks. Work will focus on the section at Greenside Place, with the aim of improving water flow ahead of winter.

The Council announced the work on Tuesday 13 October, after confirming that previous vegetation clearance had been completed. 

Michael Anderson, a service manager at Fife Council, said the maintenance was part of efforts to keep water flowing through the burn. “Every effort will be made to minimise disruption, and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused,” he wrote in a public statement.

Temporary traffic lights will be installed near the bridge at Greenside Place and Kinnessburn Road to allow the work to be carried out safely. The Council has thanked residents and road users for their patience and cooperation.

The Kinness Burn runs along the southern side of St Andrews and continues towards the harbour. In a March 2023 report on local green and blue networks, Fife Council identified the burn and its tributaries as important for drainage because localised flooding is possible during periods of heavy rainfall.

The report also highlights the importance of Kinness Burn and its surrounding green spaces for local wildlife, particularly the vegetation along its banks. It connects a series of green spaces, including Ladebraes, the Botanic Gardens, and Cockshaugh Public Park, with the harbour and East Sands.

Image Courtesy of Ada Newton