Campaigners who are fighting for the construction of a new Madras College at Pipeland have delivered a petition in support of the plans to Fife Council.
Parent Voice, an informal group campaigning for a new school at Pipeland, collected over 600 signatures in less than a week.
Parent Voice spokesman Chris Wallard said: “We have been blown away by the level of support that has been shown for building this desperately needed new school.
“We wanted to demonstrate to both Fife Council and the small group inflicting a legal challenge just how much support there is in the community for these plans.
“Parent Voice urges Fife Council to continue with their planning for construction, and condemns in the strongest terms the attempt by a tiny group of objectors to override a lawful, open and democratic decision on the site for a new school.”
Parent Voice launched their pro-Pipeland petition last week after it emerged three former teachers have gone ahead with their decision to lodge a legal challenge against Fife Council’s granting of planning permission for a new £40 million Madras College on the greenbelt Pipeland site.
As previously reported, St Andrews Environmental Protection Association Limited (Stepal), whose named directors are former Madras rector Lindsay Matheson and former teachers Mary Jack and Sandra Thomson, have now formally lodged a petition for a judicial review with the Court of Session. The court has set the first hearing for December 3.
The judicial reviewers believe that Fife Council failed to act in a “fair and impartial” manner when it disregarded what they believe was a far more suitable site owned by the university at North Haugh.
Pro-Pipeland campaigners, including Fife Council, have expressed disappointment at the move amid fears that construction of a desperately needed new Madras could be further delayed by months if not years.
With planning permission in principle already approved by Fife Council, the council’s North East Planning Committee is expected to consider a detailed planning application for the site on September 10.
Fife Council is exploring its legal options but remains committed to a new school at Pipeland.