Public hearing to take place over Pipeland path objections

The path is through the Pipeland site where Fife Council plans to build the new Madras College and has to be diverted to allow the development of sport pitches.

The line of the new path loops away from the existing line, reaching a maximum of just 39 metres distant from the current path at one point.

But objectors say the proposed change will alter the path from a countryside walkway to a route to the new school for pupils. They also cite the danger to the youngsters from the path being hidden from sight.

However, they also raise concerns about the proximity of the path to a sheltered housing complex.

St Andrews resident David Middleton objects to the plan and has lodged 26 documents supporting his argument to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in support of his case.

In his hearing statement, already submitted to the DPEA, Mr Middleton said that the path was “not simply a secondary consequence of the proposal to build a school on Green Belt at Pipeland Farm, but an intrinsic element of the school project,” and argued that because the school plan is still subject to a legal challenge: “an examination of this particular element of the overall plan for the school appears to be premature.”

If the hearing is to go ahead he said it would be necessary to consider the path’s use and its impact on affected residents.

The hearing is on March 29 at the Byre Theatre.