A company intent on appealing the Court of Session’s approval of plans to build a new Madras College at Pipeland has yet to outline its reasons for the move, according to Fife Council.
Following a two-day hearing at the Court of Session in December, Lord Doherty published his findings on March 20 and rejected the legal challenge by St Andrews Environmental Protection Association Ltd (Stepal).
After years of debate, the judge’s decision backed the council’s plan to build the £42.7 million secondary on green belt land south of St Andrews.
But the council was advised three weeks ago that Stepal would be lodging an appeal against the judgement of Lord Doherty to dismiss the legal challenge.
Councillor Bryan Poole, education portfolio holder, said: “Stepal advised the court of their intention to appeal the judgement of Lord Doherty in favour of Fife Council’s decision to proceed with the Pipeland Farm as the site for the new Madras College.
“Since then we haven’t heard a word. What we do know is that at the time of advising the court of their intention to appeal, they hadn’t settled on what the grounds of appeal were. Doesn’t this in itself say something?
“Further to that, we also know that, in a circular sent to supporters, they advised potential financial supporters that they Stepal had been advised they had a ‘sporting chance of success’.
“A ‘sporting chance’ hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement and given previous comments emanating from Stepal during the actual judicial review ‘it’s now half-time and we’re having the oranges’ it’s disappointing, in fact, shocking that they seem to be seeing the badly-needed replacement of Madras as some kind of sporting event.”
Mr Poole added: “The physical condition of the school and the split site was deemed as inadequate via an HMIE Inspection back in the 2006, when Mr Matheson, one of the directors of Stepal, was rector.
“If anything, the physical condition of the school has deteriorated further.”
Sandra Thomson, Stepal secretary, told The Courier: “Stepal has no information at this point regarding grounds for the appeal of the court’s ‘opinion’ on the judicial review, apart from saying that it was exactly that an opinion and the grounds for appeal will obviously be such to contest that opinion.
“It is disingenuous of Councillor Poole to suggest that such information should be available at the present time. Stepal’s argument will be conveyed to the court and Fife Council’s legal team when that stage of the process is reached.”