Date: 18 June 2009 BROCKLEBANK : COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION MUST LISTEN TO ST ANDREWS ‘While St.Andrews-based LibDem councillors have rightly supported Green Belt and the need to preserve St.Andrews in its natural historic setting, Cllr. Arbuckle, abetted by other LibDem councillors, voted along with their SNP administration colleagues to drive through the major structure plan housing proposals that are at the root of the huge criticism the local plan has incurred.
‘Not for the first time Andrew Arbuckle is guilty of trying to be all things to all voters. He should either stand up to his SNP masters on the council or resign as planning chairman and align himself with his council colleagues who have unanimously rejected the St.Andrews local plan.
‘It is scandalous that the planners have totally ignored the stated will of the people of St.Andrews, expressed over many years, and most recently in the open letter to the local press, from the three most important community organisations. Why does the SNP-LibDem run Fife Council continue to act as if it knows better than the people of St.Andrews what is in the town’s best interests?
‘It is absolutely reprehensible after all this time that the Council still seeks to push through the much-derided western expansion. If development is allowed on the high ground to the west of the town rather on the lower-lying ground to the south, any hope of preserving St.Andrews in its historic setting is gone. Landscape reports going back decades have all made the same point, yet Council planners continue to ignore this.
‘St.Andreans are well aware of the need to provide more local affordable housing, but believe this can be accommodated in low-lying alternative sites.
‘The town undoubtedly requires more than the minimum affordable housing requirement of 30%, so it is particularly concerning that Scottish Natural Heritage claims the draft plan shows signs of prior agreements between planners and developers that the 30% affordable figure should not be breached.
‘I totally endorse the views of all four St.Andrews councillors as well as those of the authors of the open letters to the local press.’
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