A developer has been accused of accosting people in the street to back creation of a new care home in St Andrews.
Almost 440 letters of support were submitted to Fife Council for CAF Properties’ planning application for a 38-bed complex in Hepburn Gardens.
St Andrews Community Council claims the firm, owned by Charlie Ferrari, sent agents to the town centre and to knock on doors, to persuade people to sign the letters.
Ultimately, the green light for converting the White House in Hepburn Gardens would clear the way for turning an existing care home into the first Scotsman Hotel outside Edinburgh.
Penny Uprichard, community council planning convener, said letters were signed by people from all over Fife and as far afield as Edinburgh and Dundee.
She said: “They were obtained by people with clipboards in St Andrews, accosting people in the town centre and by door-knocking elsewhere.
“Clearly, the possibility of building an £18 million hotel in St Andrews has spurred Mr Ferrari and G1 to spare no effort in supporting the application for 92 Hepburn Gardens, which is the first step and key to the whole enterprise.”
She urged the council’s north east planning committee to disregard the letters, most of which she claimed were based on no material planning grounds, when it determines the application.
However, CAF Properties said “overwhelming” support had been shown during a six-week consultation programme which included a series of open days in Madras House.
It said many who lived closed to the White house were supportive of the move which would see Gibson House residents receive a higher standard of care in a new, purpose-built facility.
Plans for the new home were revised after the firm’s first planning application, which attracted significant objection, was refused.
More than 60 objections have been submitted to the new application.
Mr Ferrari said: “We were delighted to receive a total of 441 letters of support during our well publicised 23 presentation days and evenings held at Madras House in the centre of town.
“The majority of this support has come from those living in St Andrews which is particularly pleasing.
“However, I am sadly not surprised that none of the objectors chose to attend any of the presentation days we ran.
“This shows a lack of interest in the needs of the residents of the Gibson Trust and the wider benefits of our project for St Andrews.
“We will continue to engage with the wider community in St Andrews who have demonstrated through their support that our care home proposal represents a very positive and much needed alternative to the current facilities.”
Dorothea Morrison, chairwoman of the William Gibson Trust, said: “We have been looking unsuccessfully for new, more modern facilities for over 17 years and I hope this brings us one step closer.”
Owner of The Scotsman Hotel, G1 Group, has unveiled its vision for a hotel in B-listed Gibson House in Argyle Street.
However, it said its investment depends on the Hepburn Garden care home going ahead.
