North-East Fife councillors have delayed a decision on whether they think an 59ft motorised “pergola” should be torn down from the garden of a St Andrews pub.
Locals were stunned when the retractable roof went up over the beer garden of the West Port Bar and Kitchen, in South Street and heating and lighting were installed last year.
Now, councillors are waiting to see whether aggrieved neighbours might take the matter to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
Fife Council’s North-East Fife Area Committee deferred making a recommendation to the executive committee after council legal officials showed the potential costs which could be awarded against the council for errors in the planning process.
Local councillors have blasted the way the planning application determined by planning officers has been dealt with.
They said a series of errors had been made in the planning process and the description of a “pergola” had been misleading.
As a result, an order may be made revoking planning permission.
This would force the pub owners, the Maclay Group, to tear down the structure and could cost the local authority a significant sum of money in compensation.
Tay Bridgehead councillor Tim Brett won support for his suggestion that the matter be continued to see whether neighbours might be encouraged to go to the ombudsman.
This would give an independent view of the matter and could help councillors reach a future decision.