A recommendation to refuse a housing development because the proposed site is home to a red squirrel was ridiculed by councillors this week.
Elected members sitting on Fife Council’s North East Fife area committee had been urged to reject the plans for 15 new homes at Lathockar near St Andrews.
A report put before councillors stated that the application should be refused because the local red squirrel population described as standing at one could ”possibly become extinct”.
Councillor Mike Scott-Hayward said: ”One red squirrel should not stand in the way of mankind’s march of progress.”
He said it was not worth ”getting into a flap about” as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) would ultimately have the right to refuse a licence for the development.
The report put before councillors stated: ”Red squirrels are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 … and Scottish Natural Heritage has indicated that further survey work and assessment would be required to inform further consideration of any proposal for the site.”
Mr Scott-Hayward made a motion to approve the report, contrary to the recommendation of council chiefs, but this was opposed by Councillor Tim Brett who said further investigative works should be carried out.
”I do not feel, given the information we have, that we can support the application at this stage, so I am happy to move for refusal,” Mr Brett said.
He was seconded by Councillor Ron Caird, who said: ”I do feel for this red squirrel.”
However, the application was approved after councillors voted in favour by eight to five.