The vote by the full Fife Council last Thursday to approve the planning application in principle for a new single site Madras College at Pipeland has shown a “total lack of consideration, safety and the wellbeing for the residents of St Andrews”, it has been claimed.
The comment has been made by Bill Sangster, chairman of the North East Fife Community Safety Panel, after councillors voted by 56 votes to 11 in favour of the new-build option on greenbelt land.
The decision welcomed by pro-Pipeland campaigners overturned an earlier recommendation for refusal from the council’s north-east planning committee. The plans will now be referred to Scottish ministers for approval.
Mr Sangster said: “With the prospect of an ever increasing number of school buses having to pass through a very busy part of the town over the next 50 years or so, we must look to the future.
“Over the next 15-20 years a further 2,000 homes are to be built, which will further exacerbate the traffic congestion and safety for all users.
“Presently, there would be 19 buses having to use the route through town four times each school day and could rise to anything up to 25 buses once these homes are built.
“Even the Fife Council transportation services have said that the foreseen traffic build-up will be above an acceptable level even at this present time.
“Emergency services which are located on this route will most certainly be hampered in getting to any emergency and could be a life-threatening issue.
“It is quite unacceptable to have a drop off/pick-up point within the sheltered housing development in Scooniehill Road area.
“This has not been thoroughly thought through. The congestion at the hospital roundabout can only be unthinkable.
“There must be many more issues regarding safety if this application is approved by Scottish ministers.“We hope that these issues can be addressed at the next stage in the process.”