By Cheryl Wood

FIFE COUNCIL has been criticised in the Scottish Parliament over its controversial structure plan, which proposes 35,000 new houses in the region over the next 20 years.

During yesterday’s debate on Scotland’s new planning bill, MSP Iain Smith accused the local authority of totally ignoring the fears and concerns of communities.

Afterwards Green MSP Mark Ruskell described the highly unpopular document as “misguided plans to turn Fife into a collection of soulless dormitory towns.”

Calling for a public inquiry into the plan, Mr Smith said, “The way in which the Fife structure plan was handled does not give the public confidence in the planning process.”

There was good, early participation in developing the plan, he said. “Unfortunately, that was not followed through in the consultative draft plans in which the requirement for new housing in the development plan was well in excess of anything that any local community felt was reasonable or sustainable for their area.

“I am talking about areas such as the Tay Bridgehead, St Andrews and Cupar.

“From nowhere, a plan to help to fund a Cupar bypass by developing 2000 additional houses in the town appeared in the proposals.

“The plan also failed to include an effective green-belt area for St Andrews.

“Local communities expressed strong fears about the direction of the proposals.

“They were supported by Fife Council’s area development committees and even its environment and development committee but unfortunately the full Fife Council, which voted through the structure plan as originally proposed, totally ignored those fears and concerns. It is essential that when the plan comes to ministers they ensure that there is a public inquiry into it before it is approved.”

The Greens’ environment spokesman Mr Ruskell used what he called the “seriously flawed” Fife structure plan to illustrate changes his party would like to see in the planning bill.

“Even under the very limited reforms proposed under this bill, Fife’s plan sticks out as an example of bad practice that ministers will hopefully clamp down on.

“Splitting Fife into two city regions for planning purposes will only go to strengthen the council’s misguided plans to turn Fife into a collection of soulless dormitory towns.

“There must be flexibility introduced into this bill to ensure Fife can stay as a single strategic planning unit as opposed to a hinterland servicing Edinburgh and Dundee.”