PKC to hear contentious Perth plans

Jul 2 2010 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A CONTENTIOUS proposal to construct 37 houses on the north bank of the River Tay will be considered by councillors on July 7.

Ogilvie Homes Ltd and Highland Distillers Group have asked Perth and Kinross Council for permission to erect dwellings on a vacant plot of land east of the Kinfauns Holdings properties, in the shadow of Kinnoull Hill.

The move has angered potential neighbours, who have submitted 37 letters of objection – according to a recently-released report compiled by local authority development quality manager Nick Brian.

Summing up disgruntled locals’ feelings, one objector wrote: “The Holdings is a community where everyone knows each other and there is a sense of community spirit.

“This spirit is diminished with each new housing development. I feel something of this size would remove it altogether.”

Outline planning permission for the move, which is recommended for approval at Wednesday’s PKC development control committee meeting, was granted on appeal in March 2005.

The bid also includes a sustainable urban drainage scheme and public open space area, proposed for the southern section of the site.

Of the 37 dwellings, which each have two levels, four are detached and the remaining 33 are terraces, contained in six blocks, arranged in the style of a courtyard.

The plans have been drawn-up by Glasgow-based C M Architects.