Cllr Riches said that she would listen but not comment on planning issue.

A Anderson also reminded the meeting that there is a vacancy on the Community Council, and said that the CC would welcome people who wished to join.

D Scobbie from Muir Homes started by saying that M Smith would address the meeting on Planning issues and R Mitchell, Muir Homes Architect, would go through the design philosophy that had been developed.

Muir Homes had contacted the CC to get views from them, and Muir Homes had taken account of pointers that the CC gave to them in relation to the feedback received from the local community to the proposed Local Development Plan for St Monans and Abecrombie published by Fife Council, and have developed a layout. ( A copy of this was circulated to those at the meeting.)

M Smith, is the Planning Consultant employed by Muir’s for this scheme, which is to be developed in 2 phases.  The other thing that the site has to do is to deliver allotments.

The processes Muir Homes are going through just now are to go through the Pre-Planning process.

The application will not be submitted until February.  Before that we will be consulting the local community, and will have an event for the public before it is submitted in February.

In the Fife Plan documents there is an indicative element which Muir Homes will be looking at.  R Mitchell, Muir Homes Architect has looked at the proposal to consider how we could make the plan a bit better.  D Scobbie said that tonight the intention is that we get your feedback.

R Mitchell, Architect for Muir Homes reminded the meeting that they had previously looked at the plan from Fife Council, and said that 2 weeks ago we took the views of the Community Council, so that he could come up with a draft sketch layout.  One of the fundamental concerns raised by the CC 2 weeks ago was the presence of the allotments, if they were close to the road which could be detrimental to the view on the approach to the town.  But we needed to ensure that it was a safe environment for the children in the play-park.

The draft layout is just for the first phase.  Part and parcel is the connectivity to the existing settlement.  A fundamental consideration is safety and safety with the fire service.  There was a suggestion that the fire service could have a one-way system for them; which could be by having collapsible bollards.  It would double up as a pedestrian link; but it would need to be approved by Fife Council.

What we have got is a mixture of new-build and affordable units.   It is just a concept to try to take on board the thoughts of the CC, based on feedback from the local community, which we heard 2 weeks ago.  If we get comments from the community, we can make any adjustments so we can come up with a composite plan.

Members of the public asked about various issues including:

• Safety of cars driving directly out onto the main road from houses adjacent to road
• Access to and from new estate – would there be a roundabout. Not currently planned
• Had consideration been given to access via Industrial Estate. This would be difficult due to conflict with vans and lorries and require negotiation with other landowners.
• Impact to village on addition of at least 57 new homes with a possible 12% increase in population.

Concerns raised about village facilities etc not being able to sustain such a large development.

• Access road for fire station – concern on what would happen to road if St Monans lost its fire station. If collapsible bollards are installed then they could be made permanent and no right of access would be given to any other vehicles.
• There was lengthy discussion about allotments.Access to allotments shows vehicular access only via the new housing estate from the main road and foot access from existing streets in St Monans.
• Initial plan shows space for 26 allotments. Concerns raised about suitablility in this site but A.Anderson reminded the meeting that other sites suggested to date had been considered and found unsuitable.
• P Duncan from Fife Council spoke about allotments. He said that the situation is that, in the plan, there is 0.9 hectares which is allocated for green space. As representatives from Muir Homes have said, the whole plan, which includes the woodland area comes to 7.2 hectares. As far as communities goes, NE Fife is not blessed with allotments in every community.
• Regarding the comments about funding, this project and many others are being funded by external funding. It is the Scottish Government who has channeled money through, eg Scottish National Heritage.
• A.Anderson reminded residents that they still had till midnight to comment on Fife Plan Consultation if they wished.
• Affordable housing would likely be Kingdom Housing
• D Scobbie answered that the Master Plan says that we will have to speak to Fife Council about enhancing the current play facilities. It is hoped that common sense would prevail and that existing play equipment would be re-positioned.
• There was a suggestion by a member of the public that the Manse garden be compulsorily purchased to provide vehicle access to new estate
• Concerns raised about the impact to vehicle traffic around St Monans and Abercrombie

An updated plan, taking some of the above comments into consideration, would be made and circulated prior to next meeting and Public Consultation.

Following communication to the Chief Executive of FC on poor communication from various FC depts, communication has improved.

R Craib

Regarding the bollard at the end of the garages at the end of Queen Margaret Street, Colin Stirling said that that is land the Council Housing Services are responsible for and he said to let him know if they are still required to be removed.  So it is on-going.

P Copland

P Copland said that also on the opposite side vehicles are parking outside the depot.  He said that he had checked the adoption status of the footpath.  If there are already double yellow lines, that is in direct contravention of the road traffic laws, and any car parked there is liable to get a ticket if enforcement officers see them there.  (Colin Stirling wrote that he would advise his Parking Management Team of the CC’s concerns with vehicles parking there causing visibility problems and request that the parking attendants give this area some attention.)

Also, regarding the double yellow lines at George Terrace and Hope Place because wagons were not able to get into it.  The order for those will go in next year.

A member of the public said, regarding the yellow lines at Elmgrove, that it is to give proper sight lines for people coming out of Gourlay Crescent.

Re corner of Station Rd and Inverie Street a railing will be erected on the north side.

A member of the public said that the concern was more for children running out. Cars parking on the pavement beside oil yard are doing so illegally.  P Copland will enquire further about railings on south side.

P Copland

A member of the public replied that the moles are still persisting.

A Anderson said that he would take that back.

A Anderson said that he did ask again to ask the workmen to make sure they are careful when doing their work in the cemetery.  They said they would address the problem with the path when they carried out their winter maintenance.

A Anderson

G Brown

Proposer                                                        Seconder

V Bland                                                           G Brown

A member of the public asked Cllr Riches if she had found out about the Economic Development Plan and why St Monans is not on it.  Cllr Riches replied that she will have to find out about it.

Cllr Riches

9.2.2  A member of the public asked what had happened about the pontoon in the harbor.  G Brown answered that the Feasibility Study is available on the website under ‘Harbour Regeneration Initiative’.  Adding that, basically money came to do this feasibility study.  There was no money to do anything else.  But since then Gordon Bell has moved on with another initiative for regeneration in the village, and currently a feasibility study is going on there – by considering 3 things:

– sea wall to stop the West End beach getting washed away;

– filling in the slipway to make a boat parking area and car parking area;

– getting the harbour dredged.

Cllr Riches said that the beginning of Anstruther’s development came from a bequest.

R Craib said, once the feasibility study is done, if money becomes available, then you have more chance (of obtaining funding).  Cllr Riches added that you have to prove your case.

A Member of the public said that if you have a slipway, you could be bringing boats out (for maintenance or repair).  You have 2 slipways there, and one is a really good slipway.  G.Brown said to note that he did not say anything to prompt that, adding that he did not think it (the boat/car-park) was a good idea. and asked the member of the public if it was the slipway at the East End of the harbour.  The member of the public said that that is your perfect opportunity.

The member of the public said that it was looking at the bigger picture for boats (the under 10 m kind) and providing simple repairs.  G.Brown said that perhaps that is something we should be looking at.  You would get a few more people working on boats.

The member of the public asked, once you start putting a business on it who will be responsible for maintenance of it?  He suggested that it could save money and make money.

A Anderson encouraged the member of the public to get in touch with Gordon Bell, because that sounds like a good idea.

The member of the public said that he would put it to the Committee of the FMA.

Cllr Riches said that signs that are left on pavements like A-boards can be a danger if somebody is blind.  However Cllr Riches said that there was no safety issue regarding signs on the verge.  A Anderson said that the reality is that we do not know the answer (to why the signs were removed), but we will drop a line.

P.Copland

A Anderson answered that if they are blocking pedestrian access they are breaking the law, and asked if anything can be put in place.  P Copland said that he would drop another email to Colin Stirling.

P Copland

W Buchan said that he had been told, in one of the community shops, about a person from Johnston’s Close who is a compulsive thief.  The police would like anyone with information about this to contact them with any problem. They are putting together a dossier on him.