Campaigners have said they are “disappointed but not surprised” at the rejection of their favoured Pipeland site in St Andrews for the new Madras College.
Councillors on the North-East Fife planning committee rejected an application for a £40 million school by seven votes to six at a special meeting. Their recommendation will now go before the full council on April 3.
After a two-hour and 40-minute debate councillors Tim Brett, Donald Lothian, Frances Melville, Bryan Poole, Maggie Taylor and Brian Thomson voted in favour of the application while councillors David MacDiarmid, Bill Connor, John Docherty, Andy Heer, Donald Macgregor, Keith McCartney and Dorothea Morrison voted against.
Opponents said the school would be badly located for the majority of pupils who come from the Tay bridgehead area.
It could also have a significant adverse effect on nearby sheltered housing, impact on the internationally-significant character and landscape setting of St Andrews and on the health of patients at the community hospital.
A spokesperson for the pro-Pipeland campaign group Parent Voice said: “The public and parents have consistently demonstrated their support for the new Madras at Pipeland at every consultation, including the planning process itself, where the majority in favour was over 70%.
“However, unelected community councillors and now elected councillors prefer to listen to minority groups with sectional interests, particularly in keeping St Andrews the way they want it.
“For the record, there is no other suitable site available.
“The North Haugh is not available on terms the council could agree to, it has major flood risks and will carry significant additional costs.”
The spokesperson said Tay bridgehead pupils had been the most vocal in favour of Pipeland.
“Parent Voice remains confident that this motion will be defeated at the full Fife Council meeting and that approval will be granted, in full compliance with the democratic process and with the wishes of the vast majority of people in the catchment area and St Andrews itself.”
Parent Louise Fraser contacted The Courier to complain about the committee’s decision, saying: “Unless they have a viable, deliverable plan B, then they are seriously letting down the children of St Andrews and North-East Fife.”
Fellow parent Sarah McCowan said: “At the heart of the Madras issue are the children and they need a new school.
“The issue has been going on 20-plus years, to halt it now puts it back to the start.”