The unveiling of Fife’s newest high school has prompted a plea for the new Madras College to be built without delay.
Waid Academy and Community Campus was officially opened last Wednesday, six months after pupils moved in.
St Andrews SNP councillor Ann Verner said people in her ward are eager to have their own new school to celebrate, several years after it was promised.
She said: “The youngsters, their parents and staff of Madras College would be forgiven for casting an envious eye towards the East Neuk but their school, our school, is finally in sight.”
Two years after planning permission was quashed for a school at Pipeland, a planning application is about to be submitted for a £50 million facility at Langlands which it is hoped will open during the 2020/21 academic year.
A planning application has already been submitted for a section of the link road from the A91 which will serve the school, although it has received several objections.
Ms Verner said: “The need for a new Madras has been well rehearsed and need not be repeated but, after a long, and, at times, unfortunately acrimonious journey, we have a site which has met with widespread community approval.
“It is self-evident that we cannot have a site without secure access and, predictably, the proposed route to the school has drawn comment and criticism.”
She said it appeared from planning documents that rigorous efforts had been made to identify challenges and steps taken to overcome them, and that no lasting environmental degradation is anticipated.
She added: “It is an axiom that the last mile in a journey can be the trickiest to negotiate and it is ironic the last mile in our one involves and access road.
“Our destination is a long awaited and much needed new school and the community and our children deserve it to be reached without any further delay.”
