Building a new Madras College on a St Andrews car park would be a disaster for the town, it has been claimed.
The Petherham Bridge car park on the western edge of St Andrews is one of a number of locations Fife Council is now considering for a replacement high school.
Fife Council has said building a single-site school Madras College is currently split into two campuses is one of its top priorities.
Councillors decided last month to review site options for the school rather than press ahead with controversial plans to redevelop the school’s current Kilrymont Road site.
One of the possible alternative sites being considered for the new school is the Petheram Bridge car park to the west of the town.
Although the site has, from Fife Council’s perspective, many advantages, business leaders warn removing St Andrews’ only long-term car park could have a severe impact on those who visit the town for work or leisure.
Lyndsey Adam, chairwoman of the St Andrews Traders Association and owner of Market Street store Bonkers, said she believes losing the car park would harm the town.
She said: ”This would be a complete no-go because there isn’t enough car parking, especially long-term, for people who work in St Andrews.
”It is the only big car park where people can leave their cars for the whole day, so it is pretty much the only place for people who commute to work in the town.
”Their only other option is if they can get on-street parking somewhere. Tourists are important too and they will have no long-term parking.”
The car park, which has 300 long-term spaces, is already owned by Fife Council so the local authority would not have to purchase the land.
It also lies close to Madras College’s playing fields at Station Park.
A new footbridge or underpass could be included in any development to link the school and playing fields so pupils would not have to cross the busy road.
Other sites being reviewed for a new school include Station Park, the St Andrews University-owned pond site at North Haugh, Pipelands and Strathtyrum.
However, redeveloping the school’s current Kilrymont Road site also remains an option for the council.
The earliest a new school will now open is August 2017 which means that pupils entering first year after the summer holidays will be in their final year before the school is ready.