Cupar residents are being warned against “sleepwalking” into a development that would increase the town’s size by 25% and, it is claimed, turn it into a ghost town.
Ceri Williams, formerly a key figure in the protest group CARD (Campaign Against Rural Development) has urged people to speak out against the proposed Cupar North plans, which would result in 1,400 houses being constructed and a bypass built to the north of the town.
He has presented a raft of objections to the planning body TAYplan and hopes others will do the same before time runs out.
The TAYplan consultation is due to finish on Friday.
The idea for Cupar North was mooted in 2006 when it was proposed a consortium of developers would build the houses and use the money generated to create a bypass.
The plans never came to fruition because of the onset of the recession. Now they are back on the drawing board along with a retail park and primary school.
Mr Williams claimed if permitted the development would sound the death knell for the town centre. He said congestion has “all but vanished” after the completion of the multi-million-pound roadworks scheme and that a bypass is no longer needed.
He said the idea goes against the draft Scottish planning policy of Town Centres First.
Mr Williams said Cupar North “has all the ingredients to ensure that Cupar town centre dies”.
He said it could not be argued a retail park on the edge of the settlement will put the town centre first.
He also noted a new secondary school was not included in the plans and questioned the ability of Bell Baxter High School to cope.
It already has 1,800 pupils and would be expected to cater for more than 220 more.
It is expected a planning application will be lodged by the Cupar North consortium by the end of the year.