Approved
Chair: Murdo Macdonald
Community Councillors: Ken Crichton, George Davidson, Richard Douglas, Ken Fraser, Ian Goudie, Chris Lesurf, Pete Lindsay, Dennis Macdonald, Murdo Macdonald, Donald Macgregor, Gordon Pay, Joe Peterson, Frank Riddell, Ewen Sparks, Archie Strachan, Cynthia Tero, Penny Uprichard.
Students Association: James North.
Nominated/Coopted: Bill Sangster.
Fife Councillors: Bill Brooks, Sheila Hill, Jane Ann Liston, Frances Melville.
Accepted
None
4.1.1. Green belt She has written to the Scottish Executive to express concern about the delay in the Green Belt after the refusal of Planning Service to recommend an amendment to the current Local Plan, giving timescale as the reason. A copy of the community council's letter was sent to the Executive too.
There was discussion over the Head of Planning Services' offer of a meeting to discuss the new Local Plan; despite some concerns it was agreed to respond after Cllr Frances Melville reports on the outcome of meetings with David Rae to press the case for the early adoption of Green Belt into the Local Plan.
4.1.2. Rights of Way She has received replies from David Rae and Sandy Cook and will pass the latter on. it is not their intention to let daily rights of way enquiries fall by the wayside. Ian Goudie noted that despite this reassurance rights of way issues will be handled in a fragmented way by people who may be experts on planning, but not on rights of way.
4.1.3. 20 Year Plan for Fife Long term aim is to encourage people to move in to mid-Fife. Suggests that 1000+ developments on single sites not needed in Fife for at least 10 years.
4.1.4. Strategic Planning Dundee Planning Convenor trying to arrange cross-boarder meetings to prepare for the new system even though it is not formally announced yet.
4.2.1. Craigtoun Development Has no information on the gateway decision process yet [December 4.2.2.].
4.2.2. Bassaguard Reports to come back on whether the ‘industrial site’ and the garage plots can be released for affordable housing / small businesses. There is no redevelopment money available this year from Economic Development.
There was some discussion as to whether housing use should be considered, given the shortage of small business units in town.
4.2.3. Bogward traffic calming Money ringfenced for next year. She hopes for consultation rather than just more roundabouts being imposed.
4.2.4. Ceilidh Thanked the Community Council, particularly Murdo Macdonald and for the Hogmanay Ceilidh.
4.3.1. Centre Waste Collection [December 7.2.1.] According to Cleansing & Waste Management there had been a problem with new drivers unfamiliar with the route running late.
4.3.2. Madras College Has raised with C&WM clearing the mess at Madras College left after contractors' work.
4.3.3. Harbour Wall Now completed. Hopes to see red gowns out on the pier again. James North, from the Students Association noted that students were currently in an exam period but thought an ‘opening pierwalk’ could be possible in the new semester (commencing 10/2).
4.3.4. Harbour Lighting There have been lots of complaints about street lighting at the harbour. There is a problem with lack of bulbs for the new lights.
4.3.5. Parking Vouchers Murdo Macdonald asked what had happened to cause the parking voucher scheme to be abandoned for the day - he had heard that no vouchers were available. He added that it was difficult enough getting vouchers in the early morning even when there were supplies. Cllr Bill Brooks replied that the voucher scheme was already under review. It may be necessary to switch to a more modern system.
4.3.6. Parking at the West Port Murdo Macdonald pointed out that vehicles in the parking bay next to the turning circle block it for larger vehicles turning.
4.3.7. Blackfriars Chapel Archie Strachan asked what progress was being made on the damaged floodlights at Blackfriars Chapel. These are still illuminated but repair is being investigated.
4.4.1. Quality Bus Corridors Although the bid for funding to upgrade the bus station was successful an associated bid which would have given new buses between St Andrews and Dundee and improvements at Leuchars interchange failed. Transportation Service don’t yet have the reasons the bid was unsuccessful. Have to give an attractive service to get people out of cars into public transport.
4.4.2. Affordable Housing Housing Service are looking at the ways of achieving affordable housing through the new Scottish Housing Act. Needed for people to get jobs in St Andrews and end the situation where the University has to ship people in from Glenrothes to clean.
4.4.3. Skateboard Ramp Pipeland Park ramp removed because of unsafe condition. There is money from Scottish Executive for facilities here.
4.4.4. Phone Boxes BT intend to remove the Canongate box, which she thinks is a landmark and a social benefit. This is being dealt with centrally by BT - have to write to Croydon. She has written to object, living opposite it, and express her concerns at the lack of consultation with community or even Fife Council. Cllr Sheila Hill backed these comments - the box is in her ward. Dennis Macdonald who lives close by reported that it is heavily used by students from the area. Donald Macgregor added that there is some historical significance to that particular box, only the 4th or 6th in town.
4.4.5. Pavement gritting Some problems with slow response in gritting pavements on Friday 3rd, which was a council holiday. She has passed complaints on to appropriate departments. [Copies of gritting route and priority maps were circulated for information]. Pipeland Walk and South Street at the Blackfriars bus stop were mention as problems. Ian Goudie complained that out-of-date information regarding travel and weather conditions was being given by Fife Council’s Teletext travel pages at the time.
4.4.6. Kinness Burn SEPA report received. While she has not been through it in detail she noticed that it says that the burn is just returning to its natural width, as seen up and down stream. having been artificially widened in Dempster Terrace.
4.4.7. Bandstand concerts She has already received inquiries from bands about the summer concert series but will not be available to organise anything due to the elections this year. Who will take over?
February Agenda.
4.4.8. Kinnessburn Road Archie Strachan concerned by the state of the railings along the burn side and the wire netting. In some places it would not stop a child from climbing through.
Minute circulated at the meeting:
Report of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meetings of 9.12.02 and 3.1.03 for the Community Council Meeting of 6 January 2003.
1. Planning Applications.
(i) Southern Lodge, Abbotsford Place. Mr Lindsay wrote objecting to the proposed extension of this house. This infill development would intrude into land widely regarded as garden ground associated with Greyfriars Garden. We do not regard the proposed design as being compatible with either that of the existing house or the properties opposite on Greyfriars Garden. Consideration would also need to be given to the archaeology of the Greyfriars monastery were consent to be granted.
(ii) 13 Church Street. The committee agreed to object strongly to the retrospective application for the installation of razor wire to the rear of these premises. Whilst fully appreciating the exasperation which must be motivating the applicants, we nonetheless regard this as a gross over-reaction. Indeed doubts were expressed over the legality of such a move. Razor wire was designed for use in war zones not conservation areas. There are also major safety issues to be considered. In the event of fire, such wire would impede access by the fire service and egress by any occupants of the building. The problem of intruders could be tackled in more appropriate ways with fewer potential adverse consequences. Miss Uprichard agreed to write.
(iii) 22 Greenside Place. The committee agreed to object to the application to erect 6 flats in this small gap site. The proposed development is over-intensive, and its height would be excessive in comparison with the neighbouring properties. The aggressively modern design is not in keeping with the local vernacular. The proposed balconies are particularly incongruous in a St Andrews setting, and are not even orientated to enjoy much sun. The redwood cedar cladding would be likely to deteriorate rapidly in our coastal climate. The access would be on to a rather dangerous bend on a hill. Cars often come quickly down Greenside Place, and the safety of vehicles emerging from the development could not be assured. The committee also objected to the implied loss of trees. Mr Lindsay agreed to write.
(iv) 42/44 North Street. Miss Uprichard agreed to write suggesting that the applicants should be asked to consider double-glazed windows of a more traditional design. True sashand-case windows with a fine bar system would be more suitable.
2. St Leonards Fields. On December 19, a letter was sent by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters noting that our objection to the application for four luxury houses in the grounds of St Leonards Fields dates from July 2001. We are invited to make a further submission by 10 January addressing solely any implications of the Fife Structure Plan 2002 for this application. A letter is being prepared.
3. School rolls. The committee considered the data published last autumn by the Scottish Executive Education Department, giving school roll figures for Scottish schools as per the September 2001 census. Data were available for 442 of the 446 schools in Scotland. Seven of the 19 public sector secondary schools in Fife appear amongst the largest 20 schools in Scotland. The ordered list is given below.
IBJG comment. It is evident that Fife's policy is considerably out of line with that of other local authorities in Scotland. This Community Council has always regarded the arguments in favour of large schools as very weak. Whilst it is of interest to note that Madras College is the second largest secondary school in Scotland, this table suggests that parents and community councils elsewhere in Fife also have good grounds for challenging Fife Council. Whilst the teaching staff are no doubt doing their utmost to make the system work, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that children are being sold short compared to their contemporaries elsewhere.
| Authority | Roll | School | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow City | 2075 | Holyrood Secondary School |
| 2 | Fife | 1834 | Madras College |
| 3 | Fife | 1809 | Dunfermline High School |
| 4 | Fife | 1776 | Balwearie High School |
| 5 | Fife | 1720 | Bell Baxter High School |
| 6 | Fife | 1702 | Queen Anne High School |
| 7 | East Renfrewshire | 1621 | St Ninian's High School |
| 8 | Aberdeenshire | 1597 | Ellon Academy |
| 9 | Glasgow City | 1564 | St Andrew's Secondary School |
| 10 | Aberdeenshire | 1514 | Peterhead Academy |
| 11 | South Lanarkshire | 1508 | Holy Cross High School |
| 12 | Perth & Kinross | 1485 | Perth High School |
| 13 | Falkirk | 1477 | Larbert High School |
| 14 | Edinburgh City | 1465 | Portobello High School |
| 15 | Fife | 1465 | Inverkeithing High School |
| 16 | Argyll & Bute | 1451 | Hermitage Academy |
| 17 | Renfrewshire | 1451 | Park Mains High School |
| 18 | West Dunbartonshire | 1425 | Our Lady & St Patrick's High School |
| 19 | Fife | 1401 | Kirkcaldy High School |
| 20 | Glasgow City | 1399 | Bannerman High School |
Notes:
Addition: on the proposed Computer Science building in the North Haugh: there is some concern about the precise details of the roofing material; Penny Uprichard has put in a ‘holding’ objection in case it should prove unsatisfactory when details are available.
Item 2: Reply not ready for approval by this meeting because of short timescale, will reply in the next couple of days circulating draft to planning committee.
Agreed to recommend the three golfers’ names.
Ken Crichton attended the meeting, which went into more detail of bringing the competition into line with Scotland in Bloom.
Response generally approved and some queries resolved. Any detail points to be passed to Pete Lindsay. Final draft to be approved at February meeting.
February
noted
noted
MM to raise concerns
Agree to look at an MSP Hustings perhaps with Cllrs.
PL MM to organise
JP
noted
Discuss with 4 Fife councillors. Recommendations to February meetings.
AS & CT, MM PL
Several members of Planning Committee will attend.
all noted
£50 from 200 Club
8.1.1. Ceilidh Made £1323.20. Football clubs made £665 from bar. Approval granted for a small amount to be spend on flowers for other helpers as a token of gratitude.
No Business
Noted
9.1.1. Youth Joe Peterson suggested CC sponsor 5-a-side football. Unfortunately there are problems with the facilities at Madras after the electric shocks incident there; not sure they will be available by then. Will follow up and proceed if facilities available. Asked for about £100 from CC to cover hire.
Agreed
none
None.