Roads officer’s collision of interest

Feb 23 2010

A COUNCIL roads officer declared a ‘collision’ of interest at a planning meeting.

Potential road safety concerns were raised in relation to an application to build two houses on the former Donavourd Hotel site in Pitlochry at the development control meeting.

Several objectors had expressed doubts about the existing road’s capacity to cope with a hike in traffic sparked by the development and potential risk of car crashes.

In a report, however, the council’s roads engineer had deemed the road, accessed via General Wade’s Military Road, capable of coping with extra traffic generated by the development and another already approved project.

But at the meeting, Councillor Ian Campbell described the road as “a wee windy road with no passing place”, suggesting that a condition for a passing place be implemented.

Council roads department officer, Bruce McNaughton, advised that a passing place was feasible and would only require a marginal widening of the road.

Councillor Campbell said that would be a useful addition while convener, Willie Wilson, added “it’s a road to drive on with caution and care at any time”.

Mr McNaughton then declared: “I’d have to say that the only (car) accident I’ve had in the last 20 years was on that road – I was hit by a taxi from behind.”

The application was subsequently passed with the extra condition imposing responsibility on the developer for installing a passing place.

The proposal, originally for three homes to the south of the existing building that sits on a huge site, had been downsized to two houses to avoid any impact on nine large mature trees following letters of objection.