A former rector of Madras College who is spearheading a campaign for the North Haugh site to be reconsidered has hit out at Fife Council.
Lindsay Matheson, chairman of the Campaign for a New Madras for the 21st Century, claimed comments made in The Courier by Fife Council official Ken Gourlay needed “significant correction”.
As reported by The Courier on Wednesday, Fife Council will not consider swapping its £5 million South Street campus at Madras College for the university-owned North Haugh site.
This is due to major site constraints and because it would put it £14 million over budget on the project.
However, St Andrews University says its offer to make the “pond site” at North Haugh available to Fife Council remains “on the table”.
Mr Matheson took issue with Mr Gourlay’s claim the university would insist on a new “spine road” to serve the planned western expansion of the town.
He said: “This information is simply untrue. The university has made no such pre-condition and other alleged costs are either exaggerated or entirely spurious.”
Fife Council has selected a site at Pipeland on the southern edge of town as its preferred option.
The North-East Fife planning committee narrowly rejected the planning application in principle last Thursday. The committee’s recommendation will go before the full Fife Council on Thursday .
Mr Matheson added: “Interestingly, Pipeland was selected any without risk or cost assessment whatsoever.
“Councillors have asked for budget figures for Pipeland and have been fobbed off. They are currently being asked to buy a pig in a poke.
“Current estimates, not officially contradicted, are that Pipeland would run up additional costs of £13m because of difficulties in developing this site.
“Within a limited budget, this would result in a compromised education provision.”
“So serious additional costs at Pipeland are being ignored while the North Haugh, a very strong favourite to be the most cost-effective project and the one most likely to be delivered in the shortest time, is dismissed on entirely spurious grounds.
“We believe the councillors…have not been adequately informed about site choice and costs. What must be clear to all is that a North Haugh/Station Park alternative to Pipeland is eminently suitable.”