St Andrews University principal Professor Louise Richardson reveals her ‘biggest disappointment’ is failure to get a new Madras

St Andrews University Principal Professor Louise Richardson has revealed that the “biggest disappointment” of her seven years in office has been the failure to strike a deal with Fife Council over a new Madras College.

In an interview with The Courier before she takes up a new role as vice chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Richardson revealed the offer of a land deal at the North Haugh ‘pond site’ is “still on the table”.

Last year Fife Council firmly rejected the offer of swapping the university-owned ‘pond site’ for the council’s existing South Street building of Madras.

Instead the council granted planning permission for a controversial site at Pipeland, and remains embroiled in a legal challenge with anti-Pipeland campaigners.

Professor Richardson said: “It would be wonderful to have a secondary school of the calibre this town deserves.”

* For a full interview with Professor Louise Richardson see Friday’s Courier.