Sustainable Cupar has lodged an official complaint to Fife Council over the design of a proposed roundabout it claims will be a danger to children.
Conditional planning consent has already been gained by London and Scottish Developments for a retail park on the former Reekie Group garage site on Cupar’s South Road.
At the heart of the group’s complaint is the design of a mini-roundabout which would access the site.
Sustainable Cupar fears Fife Council planners are giving priority to vehicles and not pedestrians and cyclists.
Chairman Gordon Pay said it was the local authority which considered a roundabout to be a solution at the junction.
The group has claimed the roundabout is a substandard, unsafe design imposed on a walking route to Castlehill Primary School and a designated cycle route.
As a result the community group, established to help Cupar become an environmentally friendly town, has submitted a complaint to the local authority.
It said Fife Council was not enforcing its own necessary planning condition over the roundabout’s design.
In particular, it raises concerns about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
The group suggests a raft of measures, which could include the likes of a speed table, escape ramps for cyclists so they could avoid going through the junction along the carriageway and permanent 20mph signs.
Such a combination of measures would, the group argued, create a more formalised version of shared space.
“It could provide for a safer and more convenient solution for all modes of transport at the site.
“We look forward to a positive response on this matter which is, in our view, crucial to the safety and health of our community, especially on a stretch of road that forms a route to school and a designated Fife cycle route.”
The local authority confirmed it has been working with developers to include improved pedestrian and cyclist provision at the proposed roundabout.
The council’s traffic management and sustainable traffic and travel teams are collaborating with Sustainable Cupar to improve cycling facilities within the town.
One of the routes being considered runs past this development site.
Positive discussions are ongoing with the developer to incorporate this route in the design of the development.
Development manager for London and Scottish Developments, Douglas Carswell, said Fife Council roads officials have approved the access arrangements.
“It is our hope that we will be pushing ahead to commence construction shortly which in turn will see a new lease of life to the cleared site.”
Fife Council chief executive Steve Grimmond confirmed the complaint had been passed to the council’s escalation and resolution department.
