Councillor expresses planning concerns

Gordon Berry, The Courier, 16 April 2003

A Fife councillor has expressed the fear that decisions involving major planning applications for St Andrews could be taken out of the hands of Fife Council and into the national appeal process.

This, she said, could be done under the 'non-determination' criteria which relate to the amount of time that should be taken by any local authority to process applications.

The issue has been raised directly with the Scottish Executive by St Andrews West and Strathkinness member Frances Melville, who said that developers are beginning to question the council’s argument that such major projects would at the moment be regarded as “premature.”

Proposals in the pipeline include a major western expansion to the town, a new golf and leisure development, and a seventh golf course to complement the six public links courses.

Councillor Melville has written to the executive’s principal planner Ken Jobling, who had earlier this year made it clear that he would be encouraging Fife Council to make “speedy production” of the new local plan for the area.

This document will, among other things, specify the boundaries of the new green belt which will surround the town.

In her letter the councillor said that there are already several large applications for land around the town, and that these are at different stages because of environmental Impact assessments and scoping exercises.

These all had to be progressed in the usual way, she said, but she also pointed out that there is “mounting pressure” and conflict.

She said, “It is not for me to make judgments on the merits and demerits of all this, but I do have a real fear that one major applicant may well test the water by going for non-determination."

Councillor Melville, who has not revealed the applicant involved, said that the council’s planning service would be stretched for resources because of the amount of work being done on such applications, the start of the local plan process, and the twenty year 'vision structure plan' required by the Executive.

She said that she had written to the council’s own legal officials for clarification on applications that could be deemed to be in a possible green belt.

The situation, she said, would continue to pose problems not only for elected members but also planning officers and the applicants themselves.

She said that the timescale for production of a draft consultation local plan is spring next year, but added that there will be a “long way” to go after this stage.

The coundillor asked if all applications in this grey area will be be deemed premature until the local plan review is completed - which could be 2005.

She also posed the question, however, of whether applicants will start testing the conflict between the structure plan and old existing St Andrews Local Plan, which does not allow for green belt status.

Councillor Melville said that as the chairman of the east area development committee she was having applicants pose such questions by letter.

“I would very much appreciate any advice you could give on a situation that is giving cause for concern amongst my colleagues and indeed amongst the local community and various pressure group” said the councillor in her letter to Mr Jobling.

He replied that applications would be decided on the basis of the development plan, which consists of the the new Fife Structure Plan and the 1996 St Andrews Area Local Plan.