Watchdog slams Perthshire council silence

Aug 22 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH Civic Trust chairman Roddy Young has attacked councillors for remaining tight-lipped over one of the biggest planning applications ever flagged up for the heart of the Fair City.

The local environmental watchdog wants to see a historic Mill Street property near the council’s Pullar House headquarters preserved as part of far-reaching proposals to create a new shopping street.

The blueprint would see Woolworths demolished along with the former Department of Work and Pensions building, beside the Concert Hall.

In the latest Perth Civic Trust newsletter Mr Young lamented losing the argument for retaining the Mill Street property.

But he cautioned that the fight would continue, despite councillors giving outline approval for the project.

Mr Young stressed that the Civic Trust supports the retail design and new street concept but said they want the developers to incorporate 1-21 Mill Street into the project, rather than bulldoze it.

After sitting through a council meeting which gave the green light to the development Mr Young said: “The lack of response from members was not only astonishing but worrying.

“The vote was taken in silence. There were a few questions but no debate.

“As someone who has witnessed communist practices at work, it was an uncomfortable reminder of those situations where the party line was given and the party line was taken.

“Since the meeting I’ve spoken to a number of elected members and they were as appalled as us neutrals who witnessed the event.

“The silence seems to have been a combination of naivety and bad briefing by council officials.”

Mr Young added: “I don’t think it would have affected the outcome but discussion and debate may well have led to some appropriate conditions being applied to the plan.

“It is a big development at the heart of Perth and it needs discussion.

“However, that was only the outline approval and there is a long way to go.”

The Civic Trust chairman was also critical of national heritage watchdogs Historic Scotland.

He said: “I suspect our intervention, with others, on the question of demolition in Mill Street was doomed from the outset because of a wholesale lack of interest by Historic Scotland.”

He said the proposal was flagged up three times and met with no reaction.

And he warned: “This lack of interest in Perth by the department responsible for protecting our built heritage may be the next area which should get our attention.”

Mr Young also voiced concern over the St Paul’s and City Hall sagas.

Referring to St Paul’s, he said: “The situation is now serious. The hopes we held of some progress appear to have come to nothing and time is now running out before the neglect of the building reaches the point that it will be beyond saving.”