A new road could drive plans to regenerate a Fife woodland off course, it has been claimed.
Environmental group Clear Buckhaven fears an access road to serve the new Levenmouth high school could cut a chunk off Starkies Wood, which is about to undergo a £45,000 makeover.
The project is about to get under way after months of legal wrangling and has the overwhelming support of local people.
It will involve the planting of trees, shrubs and wildflowers as well as the creation of a wetland area, bird and bat boxes, paths, seats and an interpretation board.
However, Clear secretary Allen Armstrong has called for an assurance the work will not be jeopardised by any new roads.
“We’re worried about the siting of the new high school building,” he said. “By siting the new building right at the very southern edge of the site, when they had plenty of land to choose from, the council has created the problem that any attached roads may need to encroach on greenspace.
“It could encroach on the playing field next to the school, which is common good land and should, therefore, be subject to local consultation. They may even need to cut a bit off the edge of Starkies Wood, which we would strongly object to.”
Mr Armstrong raised the group’s fears with Fife Council during consultation events before building work on the school began.
“When we’ve asked about it, they say the plans are not in place yet,” he said.
“We know the issue sounds rather peripheral to most in the context of the new school, but it seems to us vital to try to protect greenspaces and paths in planning ahead when more development on the Strategic Land Allocation site the strip of land between Percival Road and Sea Road is finally developed.”
Clear has also called for a missing section of the Levenmouth core path network to be formally adopted by the council when the new high school opens.
“The path, which is critical to fostering health as well as access, has a major gap where the upper Buckhaven path network does not link with Methilhill because the council does not want the path to go through the school grounds. It already does but informally and we’ve raised the hope that as part of the new school and community college, this section can be adopted.”
Council planning officer Elspeth Cook said there is no planning application so far for the possible new road under the SDA but that a diagram setting out land uses shows it skirted the woodland.
“Only the approximate alignment is known at this time but it is not expected to have any significant affect on the woodland at Methilhaven Road or the school playing fields at the new Levenmouth secondary school,” she said.