Refining Madras College site plan

Sir, – Councillor Brian Thomson would serve his constituents better by addressing only the substance of St Andrews Environmental Protection Association’s (Stepal’s) suggested refinements to the Madras College planning application, without falsely and unfairly accusing Stepal of “negativity, fighting the battles of yesterday” (“Issues ‘must be addressed’ before new Madras is built”, The Courier, March 29).

Stepal strongly approved and positively welcomed the Langlands plan as “immeasurably better” than Fife Council’s previous Pipeland proposal.

Clearly, Mr Thomson himself cannot forget yesterday’s battles, maybe unsurprisingly as the court robustly quashed as “unlawful” the Pipeland decision (which he fervently advocated), ruling “the whole matter remitted for reconsideration”.

Moreover, such a public comment on a live application suggests “pre-determination”, contravening the Standards Commission protocol.

Will he therefore absent himself from the vote?

Fife councillors and ex-Pipeland advocates might now show some gratitude to Stepal’s numerous supporters, whose commitment to establishing Madras in the best location for St Andrews and for all its catchment pupils throughout its third century has:

(a) Saved them the further embarrassment and expense (beyond the £3 million already wasted) of implementing their “unlawful” plan; and

(b) Impelled the council to agree this university site, now ironically praised by ex-Pipeland zealots for the same educational, environmental and other reasons credibly argued by Stepal on adjacent land over five long years ago.

John Birkett. 12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.