Protect Rural East Fife Campaigners Bring Petition to Parliament
Wed., November 23, 2005. 18:01.
The campaign to stop controversial plans for thousands of new homes in North East Fife will come to the Parliament today when Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife, accepts a 1000-strong petition from a new association of community groups called Protect Rural East Fife (PREF).
The proposals have proved controversial over the last six months. Residents and community groups are concerned that the infrastructure cannot cope with the number of new homes - 444 - that Fife Council want to build, that green belt space will be lost and local services such as transport will be put under strain. Campaigners have been working hard to raise awareness of the plans and the potential problems, and local meetings to discuss the issues have frequently been packed out.
Mr Ruskell MSP, Green speaker on environment, said, "What is proposed for Tayport is a classic example of unsustainable development, and I am greatly concerned that Fife Council plans are creating faceless dormitory towns with vast increases in housing and no access to facilities for work and leisure in the community.
"Sprawling dormitory towns on the green belt are places where there young people are bored, those who own a car become dependent on it, those who don't own one are isolated. There is more traffic pollution and congestion while community cohesion suffers and high streets shops and businesses shut down. This plan as it stands is bad news for Tayport."
Mark Ruskell, Green speaker on the environment and Deputy Convener of the parliament Environment & Rural Development Committee will attend a public meeting in Cupar Corn Exchange on Thursday 24th November at 7.30pm, to address issues raised by the draft Fife Structure Plan and NE Fife Local Plans. The strength of feeling against the proposed housing expansion has already generated a record numbers of comments to Fife Council, so the organisers are expecting an audience of 450, to put questions to community representatives and MSPs from all parties.
ENDS
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.