The chairman of Falkland Community Council has sought assurances from Fife Council that a historic wall demolished in the face of public protest last month will be restored.
Anthony Garrett wrote to the authority in a bid to find out what the latest plans are for reconstructing the 20-metre section of wall which stood at the Pleasance, inside the town’s conservation area.
Mr Garrett recently congratulated local campaigners who fought to save the remaining section of boundary and adjoining farm buildings, believed to date back over 200 years, from facing a similar fate at the end of last month when Fife Council served a 28-day stop notice to developers Lomond Homes.
The council’s intervention was celebrated by residents as well as councillors who spearheaded the public campaign.
“It is now nearly two weeks since the stop notice was applied, and we are keen to know exactly what is happening to ensure the demolished wall is restored and the remaining wall and gable ends are strengthened,” writes Mr Garrett.
“We hope that appropriate steps are being taken but would ask for your reassurance in this respect.
“We are further concerned to ensure that Fife Council are taking steps to ensure that developers anywhere in Fife cannot do what Lomond homes did to vandalise part of a conservation area.”
In response to Mr Garrett, Fife Council’s development manager Jim Birrell said the authority has installed its own temporary traffic lights and concrete barriers at the site after Lomond Homes removed its equipment.
He added that a planning enforcement notice is being finalised which will go to Scottish ministers in order for them to carry out works to preserve the wall and associated structures.
A timescale on when this is expected to go through has not been given.
After the decision to knock down the boundary, Lomond Homes defended its decision stating the wall, which leaned outwards over a pavement, was dangerous and a risk to public safety.
It was agreed, prior to the demolition, between council officials and the developers that the work would be done in two phases. But workers, assisted by a JCB, ended up tearing down the wall in one swift step.
There has been widespread concern that Lomond Homes were intending to demolish the rest of the wall and attached farm buildings in order to accommodate a new roundabout and access road.
This came to light after Lomond Land, part of the Lomond Group, submitted representation to Fife Council requesting that 8.8 acres of rural land to the rear of the Pleasance is considered for development in the St Andrews and east area local plan.
Mr Garrett has gone on record saying he hopes this proposal will not be in the local plan but says he is not against the new houses in principle.