Blairgowrie visitor centre plan green-lit

Mar 19 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A CONTEMPORARY visitors centre in Blairgowrie dubbed “a once in lifetime project” has been given the go-ahead.

Plans for the multi-purpose venue on the footprint of the town’s long-demolished Meikle Mill were unanimously approved by the Perth and Kinross Council’s development control committee – despite concerns about the loss of a children’s playpark.

Addressing the committee, local councillor, Bob Ellis, urged majority approval of the Blairgowrie and Rattray Regeneration Company (Barrc) project, stressing it “can and should be used by the whole community”.

“The community as a whole needs to get behind this once in a lifetime project,” he declared.

“The concerned residents need to get behind this project and get over the loss of the playground area.

“My plea to concerned residents is join the team and make Blairgowrie’s first visitor centre work for Blairgowrie and Rattray and the whole area.

“Please let us have unity in the community.”

Barrc, which received a £1.5 million grant from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, now has three years to commence construction adjacent to Lower Mill Street, with the centre expected to operate 50 weeks a year and attract at least 20,000 visitors to the area.

It will also erect a replacement playground, either at the south or north of the site.

“Our objective is to regenerate Blairgowrie and particularly Rattray where 40 per cent of residents are on benefits, which is the worst in Perth and Kinross,” said Barrc chair Colin Stewart.

He said the issue of scarce car parking in the area was not an easy one and that he understand objectors’ concerns.

A council officer said from the outset it had been decided not to provide on-site car parking, with the hope that centre visitors would park in the town and inject some much needed trade into shops.

Convener Willie Wilson described the proposal as one of the most important the committee had dealt with recently.

He said: “The centre will become a major attraction in East Perthshire and I think fears are ill-founded.”

Once a transfer of land ownership is complete, construction is envisaged to start later this year.