The Scottish Government has been urged to step in to help provide a new secondary school for St Andrews as soon as possible.
North East Fife MSP Roderick Campbell wrote to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon seeking intervention following last week’s Court of Session ruling which has delayed construction of a new Madras College.
A legal challenge against Fife Council’s decision to build the long-awaited school in the town’s southern green belt was upheld by judges, scuppering hopes that work would begin shortly.
Describing the outcome of the appeal by St Andrews Environmental Protection Association Limited as “deeply unfortunate”, Mr Campbell said he feared pupils’ education would suffer further as a result of the “ongoing impasse”.
He said: “It is vital that all parties come together, as best they can, and constructively consider what alternatives exist for a new secondary school to be built as quickly as possible.
“Given the long history of the matter, any further delays would clearly be unacceptable.
“With that, I have written to the First Minister to ask whether the Scottish Government will provide any assistance to help revive any hope of a new school being built in the town in the near future.
“It is important that work must be undertaken at the earliest opportunity to consider all possible options so that a new secondary school can be delivered as a matter of urgency.”
Fife councillors called for clarity on action while a solution is found.
Fife Council’s north east Fife area committee requested a report on what will happen in the short term, including details of any repairs or refurbishment of the present school buildings and the council’s next move in delivering the new school.
Councillor Karen Marjoram said: “We need to be informed of what the situation is going to be for the time being.
“Is there going to be a challenge to the decision, are there going to be any interim works and if so what will those interim works involve? What can we tell parents and children that come to us?”
Council leader David Ross has indicated more money would be ploughed into the existing campuses in South Street and Kilrymont Road while the wait for a replacement school goes on.
He also said the council was considering possible grounds to appeal the decision of Lord Malcolm, Lady Clark of Calton and Lord Drummond Young and insisted the Pipeland site remained the only one suitable and available which met the aspirations of pupils and teachers.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We recognise that Madras College is in urgent need of replacement and would urge all parties to find an acceptable solution as soon as possible.”