Appeal process final lifeline for aging Monastery

Apr 15 2011 by Greg Christison, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

CASH-STRAPPED St Mary’s Monastery is to appeal to the Scottish Government in a last ditch attempt to save the 150-year-old Redemptorist retreat, it was revealed yesterday.

Councillors’ refusal of planning permission for a lucrative 19-home development on land belonging to the monastery, which was built in 1868 on Perth’s picturesque Kinnoull Hill, could prove to be the death knell for the ailing retreat.

According to monastery rector Father Gerry Mulligan, the appeal process is the final lifeline for the building, which is in a state of internal disrepair.

The cleric explained that without the cash windfall from the Cala Homes development, it will be impossible to complete the essential £1million overhaul of the 35-bedroom building.

Consequently, it is claimed that trustees will be forced to shut its doors.

Admitting they were heavily relying on the government overturning the Perth and Kinross Council decision, Fr Mulligan told the PA yesterday: “I’m not an expert but I can’t see any other way at present.

“We’ve always said that if we didn’t get sufficient funding to do the required work then we can’t see ourselves being able to stay here.

“The heating doesn’t work properly as part of it is disconnected and the shower and toilet facilities are badly in need of upgrading.

“We can’t face another winter in here.”

Owned by the Roman Catholic Redemptorist Order, the monastery attracts diverse groups from across the world and offers a study area for the priesthood as well as acting as a retreat promoting rest and reflection.

With the venue being financially independent from the Catholic Church, no central pot of money exists to fund upgrades.

Trustees managed to raise funds for improvements to the building’s exterior, but recent attempts to fund interior repairs have failed.

Dozens of supporters in favour of the monastery’s plans filled the council chambers’ public gallery at Wednesday’s development control committee meeting.

Five councillors voted to approve the build and five objected. Sticking with his initial decision, convenor Willie Wilson opted to reject the proposal with his casting vote.

Announcing that the board of trustees are set to meet to discuss their options, Fr Mulligan said that the support shown by locals and several councillors “had given them hope”.

“We are determined to stay in the monastery,” he declared.

“We have to go through the process of appeal and do that as quickly as possible. We are shattered and disappointed but we felt that it was great to have the local support.

“It is not a small minority but a large spectrum of the people of Perth.

“A lot of people had said we didn’t have much of a chance and we were surprised the council’s vote was so close.”

Several councillors admitted feeling “very uncomfortable” making a decision on the application moments after they rejected a similar bid for four luxury homes at nearby Bellwood Park.

However, Fr Mulligan refused to connect the two and pointed out the problem lay with the outdated 16-year-old local development plan, which is due for renewal in 2013.

He added: “It [Bellwood Park] is a completely different development and it is not directly linked to a bigger project, like ours.

“There seemed to be a bit of confusion over how this land should be classified. It is a bit of a grey area in the development plan.

“We have been slowed down by beaurocracy and red tape.”

Trustees have three months to lodge an appeal.

On Bellwood Park, Cllr Wilson branded the plans “premature” and claimed the houses would impact on a designated Area of Great Landscape Value.