Cupar residents are being invited to have their say on the priorities for the town in the 21st century.
The recently established group called CuparIF, that’s aiming to make sure local views are heard “loud and clear” if Persimmon go ahead with their long-mooted and controversial proposed Cupar North plans, has launched an online survey inviting residents to express their views.
CuparIF is making it clear that this survey is not about whether the proposed development of 1,400 houses is desirable.
To that end, the survey does not seek views on whether or not Cupar North should happen.
Instead, its aim is to ensure that if it does go ahead, local views are considered before any development goes ahead and to help identify what will help to make Cupar a successful 21st century market town.
“In the last half century, Cupar has seen substantial changes,” the survey says.
“This process is about looking at the next half century – and we invite you to have your say.
“Persimmon Homes plan to develop part of the site, and their application is making its way through the planning process.
“Soon they will begin a public consultation. This survey is your chance to have your say at the very start, and to help identify how Cupar’s people, businesses and organisations can all work together for the good of the town.
“We want the outputs of this survey to impress on Persimmon, and any other developers, the local vision for Cupar’s future.”
Survey topics
The survey is split into various topics:
On access, it asks should any development have safe and easy access to the town centre by walking, wheeling or cycling?
On green networks it asks, should green areas be provided to, from and within any development?
On health and education it asks should there be safe and easy access to visit nursery, school, college as well as health and social care partnership services by walking, wheeling or cycling?
On integration it asks should any development be an integral part of the town, not a separate entity?
On play it asks, should the development’s streets be designed so that all areas are safe for children to play in?
On retail and leisure, should residents look on Cupar as their prime destination for retail and leisure services?
On traffic, should private vehicle routes to and from Cupar’s town centre be designed to reduce air pollution?
On transport, should public service vehicles servicing the development be electric or use green energy?
When it comes to zero carbon issues, in this year of COP26, should all aspects of the development be designed to be minimum or zero carbon?
Different groups involved
The Courier told previously how local groups and interested individuals held a Zoom meeting on April 16 and agreed to set up the CuparIF group.
Many groups were represented at this first meeting, including The Association of Businesses in Cupar and District (ABCD),Cupar Now, Cupar Heritage, Sustainable Cupar, Fruit and Blossom (FAB) group and Cupar Development Trust.
Bill Pagan of Cupar Development Trust explained how the twin aims of the group are to help Persimmon make this their flagship example of how to bolt a major development on to an existing historic small town, and to guarantee that local views are considered in making Cupar a successful 21st century market town.
Mr Pagan said CuparNow would be involved in the distribution of information to businesses, encourage more people to become involved in CuparIF, and will facilitate consultation down the line.
Like CuparIF, he says CuparNow expresses neither support for, nor opposition to, Cupar North being developed.
Objections
In March, Cupar Community Council was given an update on the proposals for 1,400 homes by Euan McLaughlin, development planner at Persimmon.
Progression of the plans, mooted for decades, have stalled in recent years, but, in the meeting, Mr McLaughlin set out a new timetable and said they were to be “resurrected”.
While most of the comments after the update were positive, Cupar Community Council chair Gina Logan noted that, responding to two previous consultations, around 90% of Cupar residents said they were against the plans.
She also mentioned that more than 500 letters of objection had been submitted to the plans.
To access the CuparIF survey, go to https://cupar-if.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/cupar-if-survey.
