Education bosses in Fife have promised work will commence on a new Madras College at Pipeland if a legal challenge is not upheld.
Work has ground to a halt following a second legal challenge by STEPAL. The group is against the new build and claim it's an unnecessary incursion into highly sensitive and valued green belt. A hearing will take place in Edinburgh on Friday 17th July 2015.
Derek Brown, Head of Education said: “I want to reassure everyone we have the planning permission needed to commence work as soon as the legal challenge is resolved. While our plans may have been put on hold, the necessary background work has been done and our teams are prepared to pick things up again as soon as the judicial process is complete and permission is given to continue.”
"I’d like to stress that pupils and staff have been involved in this process from the beginning. The majority of responses to that consultation were in favour of building a new school at Pipeland.
“As in any consultation there were those who did not get the outcome they wanted but that is the case in any democratic process. They had the opportunity to make their voices and opinions know during the planning application process which followed.
“I know from being in and around the school that the mood of the majority of pupils and staff is that they just want the school to be built as soon as possible.”
The consultation of pupils, staff and parents in 2013 received 2,726 responses - a total of 78% are in favour of the current proposal.
• 80% of Madras parents in favour.
• 87% of parents with children in catchment primary schools in favour.
• 83% of current Madras pupils in favour.
• 95% of future Madras pupils in favour.
• 73% of Madras staff in favour.
• 48% of non-statutory respondents in favour.
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