The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Locals ‘horrified and angry’ over latest fire set at Fife beauty spot
Residents of a Fife community are being urged to stay vigilant as deliberate fires and antisocial behaviour at a local beauty spot continue.
In the latest incident, park furniture was destroyed after being deliberately set on fire in the Back Braes area of Leslie on Sunday evening.
Local people say it is the latest in a string of similar incidents in the area in recent months.
One resident, who lives just yards from the popular beauty spot and asked not to be named, said vandalism and deliberate fire setting had been rife in the area for some time.
“There’s hardly a week goes by when there isn’t a fire or some sort of vandalism in the area.
“Fires being set on the Back Braes is the main concern and there have been several recently.
“It’s terrible to see that a bench was destroyed by fire on Sunday evening by these idiots.”
John Wincott, chairman of Leslie Community Council, admitted concerns had been raised by locals regarding the incidents.
“I’m horrified and angered to see such senseless destruction especially since the community council was responsible for installing the benches.
“People work hard to improve the local area, which is enjoyed and respected by the vast majority.
“However, it’s the few who seem determined to destroy things for the sake of it which is of concern.
“We fear those responsible are coming equipped to start fires as this type of public furniture is quite robust and doesn’t set alight easily.
“We’ve raised concerns with local police officers to see if there’s a way to put a stop to it.”
In July, 2020, Leslie Golf Club had its storage building and ground maintenance machinery destroyed in a blaze thought to have been started deliberately. The building has since been demolished.
In November, police charged two youths in connection with a fire that destroyed charity collection bins at Quarry Park.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called around 8.30pm on Sunday, March 14, to a report of a bench being set on fire in Quarry Park in Leslie.
“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
Following the latest incident, North Glenrothes, Leslie and Markinch Councillor, Jan Wincott, has urged the public to report further incidents directly to the police.
“It they are not being reported then the police can’t investigate or build up a picture of the scale of the problem.
“I urge anyone who witnesses anyone carrying out such vandalism to report it immediately to the police who can then can act.”
Plans to redevelop the fire-damaged former Viewforth High School site in Kirkcaldy have been given the go-ahead by Fife Council.
A proposal submitted by housing developer Whiteburn Ltd to build 73 new homes at the troubled site, which has lain vacant since pupils were transferred to nearby Windmill Campus in 2016, has been given unanimous approval by councillors.
The development is set to provide a mixture of terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, and flats, including 15 affordable homes.
Access to the site will be via a new entrance on Loughborough Road.
Original plans for 86 homes on the site, which were submitted before the fire in December 2019, had intended to transform the main school building into 14 flats.
However the proposal was revised after the C-listed main school building, which dates back to 1870, suffered extensive damage in the blaze in August last year and was subsequently de-listed by Historic Environment Scotland.
As part of its design, the developer also stated it intends to retain as much of the stone from the original school building to be used in boundary walling.
The site will also benefit from open-space provision, new landscaping and the planting of replacement trees lost during construction.
It has also agreed to a legal arrangement to fund £64,408 towards the provision of a new school extension to Sinclairtown Primary, due to be impacted by the new homes.
Planning officer Natasha Cockburn told the committee: “We see this as a good quality design for the site with appropriate density of housing.
“The proposed development also represents the development of a brownfield, derelict site which is no longer being used for education purposes, within the settlement boundary of Kirkcaldy.”
The proposals had been met with some resistance from locals, with 14 objections voicing concerns over design, the impact on the road network, and lack of parking.
There was also opposition to demolition of buildings on the site.
Despite the objections, planning officers had recommended that the application be given conditional approval when members of the council’s Central and West Fife planning committee met yesterday.
Kirkcaldy councillor Zoe Hisbent welcomed the new plans.
She said it was news” for the site.
Roger Bainbridge, director of design and delivery for Whitburn Ltd, said: “Our timescales for this project have been impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but we are delighted to have finally
“great presented our proposals to the planning committee at Fife Council and for them to have granted planning consent.
“Importantly, it is hoped that some of the former C-listed school building can still form part of our vision for the development,” he said.
“We will work with Fife Council to submit a planning application for new homes in this area of the development as part of our masterplan for the overall regeneration of the site.”
Work on the project is expected to start in the coming months.
Martin Compston has revealed he is happy to pay the higher rate of tax in Scotland despite many fellow actors forming companies to reduce their bill.
The Line Of Duty star said he is annoyed by comments suggesting he does not pay tax in his homeland because he has a house in Las Vegas.
He said he had the option to pay less tax by having his earnings paid through a company but had refused to do so.
Speaking to presenter
Sean Mcdonald on his Blethered podcast, Compston, 36, said: “Every single penny I earn is taxed in Scotland, and I mean full tax.
He added: “It also gets on my nerves that if I went to St Andrews or Eton and I had a ski chalet in Switzerland, certain people would think you’re fit to run the country.
“But because I’m from Greenock and I’ve got a house in Vegas my opinion is not valid for some reason.”
An emergency helicopter landing pad is being built in a remote village in memory of a teenage flu victim, with the help of donations including from actor Hugh Grant.
Bethany Walker died aged 18 in 2018 after contracting flu, which developed into sepsis. She was airlifted from the west Highland village of Applecross to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, for treatment in 34 minutes, a journey that usually takes two hours by road.
The helicopter had to land in the village pub’s car park, the only empty space available. Bethany’s condition worsened and she died in hospital.
Her mother, Heather Teale, was determined to build a permanent helipad and work has now begun after funds were raised.
She established a community fund which raised £15,000, including a donation from Hugh Grant, while £50,000 was donated by Robert Bertram from the Help Appeal charity dedicated to funding landing pads.