Fife Council has extended the period for consulting on the findings of the First Stage Environmental Report on the St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan. You now have until Friday 6^th March 2009 to submit comments and observations. We will also accept comments on the St Andrews & East Fife Finalised Draft Local Plan (August 2006).

All plans and programmes started after 21^st July 2004 are subject to a process called Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in order to comply with an EU Directive.

The SEA for the St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan is being undertaken in four stages which will run in parallel to the preparation of the Local Plan. The First Stage Environmental Report is an initial assessment of the policies and proposals in the Finalised Draft Local Plan (August 2006)

The consultation offers the opportunity to comment on the policies and proposals in the Plan in the context of the SEA. Additional information has also been included, outlining how Fife Council considered options for the designation of Strategic Land Allocations through the Local Plan. This information, in the form of an Options Summary Report, was referenced in the original version of the Environmental Report and has now been included so that interested parties can view all the relevant information.

We have published an online version of the St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan - SEA First Stage Environmental Report.  The new system will allow you to submit comments on the Environmental Report and the Local Plan electronically using a new secure website.  It is an easy, user friendly way for you to make comments.  The online version of the Environmental Report, Finalised Draft Local Plan and associated documents/maps can be accessed by clicking here.