FURIOUS Inverkeithing families and councillors have blasted the “usurping of local democracy” after the Scottish Reporter upheld an appeal to build on a controversial greenfield site.

The Press previously told you about Taylor Wimpey’s plans to build up to 450 homes at Spencerfield, which was one of eight sites removed for housing under the FIFEplan local development plan in September 2014.

The plans sparked a ‘Save Spencerfield’ campaign but despite having the proposal thrown out by Fife Council and the Scottish Reporter, Taylor Wimpey submitted a screening option to build around 300 homes at the site last November.

In April they applied for Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) for a residential development, which was also refused by Fife Council.

Taylor Wimpey then lodged another appeal with the Scottish Reporter, which has now been upheld.

The developers now have permission to build 295 homes on the site, subject to conditions and a Section 75 (planning obligations) agreement with the council.

However, another Taylor Wimpey appeal against Fife Council’s refusal of 39 houses at Spencerfield was dismissed.

Resident Myrna Venters, of community group Take A Pride In Inverkeithing, was “angry and gutted”.

She told the Press: “It’s a shock to everyone. The number of houses is just horrendous. It will have a huge impact on Inverkeithing.

“The doctors’ needs more medical staff to cope with the number of people at the moment and there is no space at the school.

“The Reporter has let people down.

"People’s voices were not heard nor considered.

“It’s sad that one unelected individual has the right to override people’s opinions because of what they think is right.”

Inverkeithing councillors also slammed the decision and underlined the need to overhaul the planning system.

Cllr Gavin Yates fumed: “It’s a complete usurping of local democracy.

"It’s completely ridiculous what the Scottish Reporter has done.

“The local development plan will be examined next year.

"It doesn’t include Spencerfield, which was democratically taken out by Fife Council.

“The Reporter is aware that another Reporter will be looking at the development plan next year but he grants permission anyway.

“What’s the point of having a local planning system if it can be so cheaply disregarded?

“A message needs to go out from the whole of Fife Council and local government.

“We can’t have this system where the game is so loaded in favour of developers. The developers only need to get it right once.”

Cllr Alice McGarry said, “I’m totally gutted.

"I’m surprised it was approved in advance of the local plan, that’s pretty shocking.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous.

"It means Spencerfield will now be included in the local plan, subject to a Section 75 agreement.

“The development will create a coalescence with Dalgety Bay, which is so wrong, and you have to think about how it will impact the wildlife in the woods.

“Local people have fought the good fight and it’s been completely unsuccessful. The whole planning system needs to be looked at.

"We have a system where one person can subvert democracy. Enough should be enough.”

Andrew Roberts, Taylor Wimpey’s strategic land and planning manager, said the firm would now secure a ‘Notice of Intention’ to grant planning permission this week.

He added: “Our proposal will deliver around 295 new homes, of which 25 per cent will be affordable, allowing us to make sure there will be a wide mix of styles to appeal to a range of buyers as well as a range of tenures.

“Our development will also provide a range of economic benefits for the local area including the creation of several hundred new jobs, and it will attract new customers to local businesses."