A row over a squirrel bridge at the new St Andrews link road has finally been settled after a Government Reporter ruled in the rodents’ favour.
In a victory for the town’s population of protected red squirrels, a bridge will be built to provide a route between habitats on either side of the road, which will link the A91 at North Haugh to the new Madras College at Langlands.
The bridge had been at the centre of a planning row since councillors on North East Planning Committee refused to remove it from planning conditions back in March.
Developers St Andrews West LLP took the matter to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division, who last week confirmed the bridge was required under policies set out in the local development plan.
Local Lib Dem councillor Jane Ann Liston, who had moved refusal of removing the condition relating to the squirrel bridge earlier this year, said: “It was strange that the developers suddenly seemed to go off it. It doesn’t seem to be a particularly onerous.”
The developers had argued that a squirrel bridge was not needed because there was “no significant squirrel population” in the area.
And the committee was told in March that the applicants were “concerned that the only squirrels noted during post construction monitoring are grey squirrels”.
It was stated that the bridge may encourage grey squirrels to access the Strathtyrum estate to the west of the link road, to the detriment of the red squirrel population.
But Ms Liston said populations of red and grey squirrels seemed to exist side by side in St Andrews.
“Reds have got their own habitat. Greys don’t seem to like what the reds like and vice versa,” she said.
As part of measures to mitigate impact on wildlife, the developers had suggested that monitoring of squirrels be carried out across the west of St Andrews.
However, this was deemed unnecessary by the reporter.
Ms Liston added: “Because the roads are so bad I was concerned they would just be counting red squirrels found squashed by cars on the road.”
Linda Holt, independent councillor for East Neuk and Landward, added: “Conservationists and red squirrels in St Andrews will be delighted that the reporter upheld the councillors’ decision to keep their bridge.
“Development almost always diminishes our natural flora and fauna, and we have to do all we can to mitigate its impact.”
The planning appeal was partially upheld.
Councillors had also thrown out St Andrews West LLP’s request for reflectors, to deter squirrels from approaching the road, to be omitted from the plans.
Scottish Government reporter Alison Kirkwood said reflectors were “generally more effective for larger mammals, such as deer”.
In her decision notice she said there had been red squirrels on the development site prior to work commencing.
She added: “The provision of the bridge may in itself encourage red squirrels to return to the site.”
