Furious councillors have demanded an urgent investigation into communication between Fife Council’s education and planning departments after a meeting to discuss controversial plans for the proposed new Madras College at Pipeland descended into “farce”.
Several hundred members of the public and dozens of Fife Council officials crammed into St Andrews Town Hall for the special meeting of Fife Council’s North East Fife planning committee, which was expected to last for several hours.
However, as 22 speakers prepared to give their views for and against Fife Council education service’s Pipeland application, councillors had little choice but to adjourn the meeting before it even began after it emerged the applicant intends to submit fresh information to address transportation and environmental impact concerns in the new year.
It emerged the applicant only wrote to Fife Council planning service about this last Thursday and councillors were warned that to continue the hearing at this stage could be prejudicial to a fair hearing.
The planning application in principle for green belt land to the north of Pipeland farm, off Largo Road, proposes the construction of a secondary school with associated facilities including access, car parking/bus stance, playing fields, regrading of land and alterations to a footpath.
A pre-determination hearing is necessary prior to determination by Fife Council because the application is significantly contrary to the development plan due to the nature and scale of the development proposed and its location outwith the settlement boundary.
On behalf of the applicant, in a letter to Fife Council planning service dated Thursday and received on Friday, Emelda Maclean of Emac Planning stated: “This application has generated a substantial number of consultation responses and it is recognised that some of these focus on detail that was not available when the application for planning permission in principle was registered on September 5.
“Since that time, design work has continued and further detail developed that could assist in addressing some of the concerns raised. In particular, post submission transportation requirements are being addressed and landscape and visual impact assessment supplementary information is being prepared.
“Our intention is to submit this…early in the new year.”
Fife Council lawyer Steven Paterson told councillors his “clear and unequivocal” legal advice was to adjourn the hearing until the new year.
As councillors unanimously agreed adjournment was the only realistic option, the chairman of the committee, Councillor Frances Melville, said she was “furious” that the meeting had not been called off sooner.
She said her efforts to get an answer from Fife Council chief executive Steve Grimmond on Friday had failed.
She added: “This is not acceptable. I am angry. I still don’t understand how a letter can come in that late. At the end of the day this is all about school children and future school children’s education provision.”
Tay Bridgehead councillor Tim Brett said: “I am furious. This is a farce. I’ll be demanding urgent answers from the chief executive.”
Fife Council’s executive spokesperson for education, Cupar councillor Bryan Poole, voiced his opinion.
“It’s disappointing,” he said.
“My own view is that this is partly down to Fife Council bending over backwards to allow comments to continue coming in after consultation ended.”
A fresh hearing will now be arranged for the new year.