SAINTS STAND TO GO?

Aug 29 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ST Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown yesterday flagged-up a £10 million roads vision designed to dispel the spectre of gridlock and pave the way to future expansion beyond Perth’s Western Bypass.

He’s confident the Fair City football club’s imaginative blueprint will banish a traffic nightmare and boost the club’s long-term bank balance.

Mr Brown, speaking exclusively to the PA, hinted that he’s ready to sacrifice the club’s under-used North Stand to accommodate a road link through part of the land surrounding McDiarmid Park.

Proposals being championed by St Johnstone would see a route created from the Crieff Road, running through Newton of Huntingtower farmland and parallel with the Crematorium access.

The road would then head behind a stadium built around 20 years ago, making for the Western Bypass and a new bridge linking with agricultural land owned by Inveralmond Farms and mooted for development.

Land to the west of the motorway has been earmarked for accommodating much of the city’s future housing and business demands. It’s also understood Tesco are weighing-up relocation options.

Mr Brown said: “Everyone is aware how congested the roads are around McDiarmid Park and we know better than anyone how it impacts on motorists and businesses. It can be a complete nightmare around the Newhouse Road roundabout. The snarl-ups have become worse and worse, with Tesco and B&Q nearby. There is a real fear it will be gridlock by 2014.

“For some time now the council planners have been wrestling with the problem and seeking a solution. It’s arguably the biggest headache facing the local authority.

“They have brought in consultants and I understand that half a dozen different options were being assessed earlier in the year. Now it is being whittled down to two or three.

“The beauty of our proposals is that all the pieces of the jigsaw can be slotted into place without the need for Compulsory Purchase powers. And we are content to go along with the local authority’s timetable.”

Mr Brown is well aware that previous road proposals affecting the Crematorium access created a furore and he stressed: “This will not impact on the Crematorium road. This is completely separate.”

The Saints chairman and local housing company managing director said: “The council sees land to the west of Perth as a prime area for future expansion, providing houses and employment, but nothing can happen without a new access road link.

“St Johnstone has always been a community club and this would help Perth and, of course, I’d envisage financial benefits to the club for many years to come.

“The North Stand might have to go to accommodate the road. That is a decision for further down the line.

“But even without the North Stand we’d still be able to accommodate around 8500 fans and that’s more than stadiums in Inverness and Falkirk. Obviously we want back to the SPL but the last time we were in the top division we weren’t attracting 5000 home fans, and now even Old Firm attendances are down away from home, with most of their matches live on television.”

l Last week the PA highlighted outline plans for Perth Mart and land to the west of Perth. These were lodged by Perth City West LLP and included a cinema, supermarket, housing, gym and other leisure facilities. It was regarded as part of a bigger jigsaw, including development in the Almond Valley.