A new application has been submitted for a canine exercise field at a former quarry on the outskirts of Oakley, following several rejections of previous plans. The site, located off the A907 road, was initially proposed by Kenny MacCallum for holiday accommodation. However, Fife Council rejected that proposal twice, leading MacCallum to appeal to the Scottish Government, which was also unsuccessful.
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Subsequent plans to designate the site as a construction yard were also rejected by the local authority, and an appeal to Holyrood was denied because MacCallum could not prove the site had been used continuously as a builder's compound for at least 10 years.
The new proposal, put forth by Melanie Wood from Wardlaw Way in Oakley, aims to convert the agricultural land into a designated dog exercise area. Her plans include two shipping containers, parking spaces for 12 vehicles, fencing, restrooms, and storage facilities.
Access to the exercise field would be from the existing entrance on the A907, located east of the junction with Sir George Bruce Road. The initial proposal submitted in September 2023 sought to convert the lot into a self-catering holiday chalet intended for Airbnb-style rentals.
MacCallum claimed that this venture could generate approximately £52,000 annually for the local economy; however, planning officers stated that it was unlikely a single unit would produce significant economic activity. The west and central planning committee voted against the accommodation proposal to safeguard the countryside from “sporadic and unjustified” development. An appeal to the Scottish Government subsequent to the rejection was also refused.
Multiple attempts to have the disused quarry classified as a construction yard failed, with the first bid being rejected by the council in late 2025. Despite receiving affidavits and letters of support, the government reporter upheld the local authority's decision to deny a certificate of lawfulness, indicating that any further attempts to establish the quarry as a construction yard would require a full planning application.