By Graham Brown

THE £50 MILLION, 21st century blueprint for new schools in Carnoustie and Forfar remains on track after an evening of emotive debate last night.

A special meeting of Angus Council’s development control committee in Forfar gave a unanimous green light to a new two-stream primary school for Fyfe Street, Forfar, and a new Carnoustie High School at Shanwell Road—but, as anticipated, another element of the multi-million pound public/private partnership initiative in the links town proved highly controversial.

In the end, councillors voted decisively in favour of another purpose-built primary in the grounds of Woodlands caravan park, after supporters who accused opponents of not caring for the future of the town’s children had listened to the council being criticised for a “railroad approach” to the project.

Angus planning chief Alex Anderson opened the debate with his analysis of the Woodlands site, which he said was “significantly better” in his view than the existing Kinloch school site, even if they were both cleared areas.

“It is better placed to serve the catchment area and the environment is vastly superior, so from a teaching environment the two sites come nowhere near each other,” he said.

He added that he was comfortable with the way the matter had been progressed, having acknowledged in his report that the application was not an allocated site in the Angus local plan or consultative draft, but has been allocated in the finalised local plan review.

“My view would be that in ideal circumstances you would want to progress proposals like this through the local plan process. But the world does not stop—things move on and you have got to be flexible in that,” he said.

“I think the public benefit and the opportunity which exists means you have to take that view. If this project were to be lost I don’t think any public benefit would be served, in fact I think there would be a great disbenefit.”

Town planner Pam Smith, speaking on behalf of local objectors, said the application should be withdrawn on the grounds it was premature in terms of the finalised local plan, on which consultation finishes next week. She told town councillor David Selfridge that she had never come across a local authority with an interest in the land making an application in such a way.

Harshest criticism of the council’s conduct came from Jim Simpson, of Carnoustie Community Council, who said, “We need to make it clear from the outset that Carnoustie Community Council welcomes the major investment in education provision for the town and this is why we find ourselves in such a dilemma. We support the proposal for a new school—but not at any cost.

“Apart from the site, the biggest concern has been the procedure adopted by Angus Council. In November 2003 there was no mention of the caravan site, a few months later we are told it is the preferred and only option for the school. There was no consultation, we were told that was what was happening.

“We, the community council, stand accused by certain Angus Council officials of trying to derail this project and we have been faced with that attitude from day one. We, as the community council, make no apology for trying to address this situation on behalf of the people of Carnoustie.”

Among those who supported the Woodlands site was local teacher Brian McHardy, on behalf of Angus Teachers’ Panel, who said he and colleagues were happy they had been consulted at every stage. “We also believe the Woodlands site is the best site for the new school and an incomparably better site than Kinloch,” he said.

“The pupils taught there are likely to be happier, healthier, safer and more likely to be more stimulated by a new school in a parkland environment. Kinloch has been an excellent school and has served the community well, but a site appropriate in 1878 cannot meet the needs of the first half of the 2lst century.

“Carnoustie is a different place to what was in the 19th century. By the end of this decade our teachers hope our pupils are in schools suited to the 21st century and I fervently hope Woodlands will be of one those schools.”

Angus education director Jim Anderson told the committee, “It may be a phrase that is a bit cliched, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not to take advantage of this opportunity would be a huge mistake.”

Of the proposed site, he said, “As we went through the consultation it became clearer and clearer, there really wasn’t much choice, Woodlands was far and away the best site… It is a stimulating environment for pupils to learn in and that is the crux of it for me.”

Committee convener Stewart McGlynn’s approval motion was supported by Councillor Frank Ellis who urged members to consider carefully what would be a ‘landmark’ decision for the children of Carnoustie. “As far as I am concerned it is caravans versus children and there is no contest—we are talking about a far better building in a far safer location with a far better amenity.”

Arbroath councillor Alex King, a former Carnoustie resident, also backed the Woodlands option. “Many of the comments made tonight seem to be saying ‘Not in my back yard, thank you’. What we have here is a sensible, well thought-out proposal. Kinloch was a suitable site when the fastest thing going down high street was a runaway horse, but Kinloch is time-expired.

“The Executive is throwing money at us to do this through ppp and the worst thing in not doing this would be the children of Carnoustie would lose out, which is something I cannot accept. The children are the important point for the future, and we have got to make sure this school goes ahead.”

Carnoustie member David Selfridge—the only local councillor to attend—said he could not back a plan that was contrary to local policy and unwanted by the people of the town. “We have only a week to go before the close of formal objections to the local plan and I think this application has jumped the gun. I think its inclusion was done without proper consultation and I think it’s an abuse of Angus Council’s power.

“I believe there will be a significant detrimental effect on residential amenity and character. Schools and caravan parks are not compatible and it should not be the case here,” he added. His amendment for refusal was backed only by Arbroath Lib Dem Dr Dick Speirs and fell by eight votes to two.

A fourth element of the ppp scheme, for a new two-stream primary at Thomas Street, Carnoustie, was deferred on the grounds that further information had come forward and it will be considered at a later date.