Cupar environment group criticises retail park roundabout decision

The developers asked for permission to develop the mini-roundabout at the entrance to the site on South Road at a later stage, rather than before work on the retail park had started, after it secured permission from Tesco to use an access road to get into the site.

Councillors gave the change the go ahead.

Sustainable Cupar criticised the decision. Gordon Pay, chairman, said councillors had made a “bad situation even worse”.

As a result, any standards related to the requirements of walkers, wheelers and cyclists have now been removed from the roundabout condition.

He said: “The Scottish Government’s Designing Streets policy document, which is supported by Fife Council, makes it clear that roundabouts must be safe and easy to use for walkers, wheelers and cyclists.

“This roundabout is on the main walking and cycling route for children going to and from Castlehill Primary School. As it stands it is unsafe.

“It is shameful that planners in Fife place the interests of motorists ahead of the safety of our children and put forward a design that mandatory sections of official government design guidance made clear is unsafe.

“That state ‘they should not be used at sites where inexperienced riders are likely to use them (on routes to schools for example)’.

“It is equally shameful that our councillors do not listen to their constituents and endorse this action of their planners when they had the opportunity to defer a decision until all the relevant parties could get together to find a satisfactory way of meeting our sustainable transport requirements for this roundabout design.”

Plans for a new Burger King drive-thru restaurant in the town were also green lit by councillors during the meeting.