Perth and Kinross Council gears up roads for massive housing developments on Fair City perimeter

Oct 7 2011 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PLANS for £13 million-worth of roadworks that would see part of St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park being demolished were lodged yesterday.

Saints’ North Stand seems certain to make way for a new commuter route linking Crieff Road and the A85 at Perth Crematorium with a grade-separated interchange on the A9.

A planning statement submitted on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council confirms a series of radical and proposals designed to solve the traffic problems that have dogged the Fair City in recent years.

A statement compiled on PKC’s behalf by international design giants Halcrow Group Ltd lifts the lid on a plans for new slip roads to the A9, link roads to the A85 and access to the Ruthvenfield, Inveralmond and Western Edge areas – which have been re-branded as “the Perth Western Expansion Development Area”.

Other measures lined up for Perth’s north-west gateway include roundabouts, a road bridge at Inveralmond and a culvert diversion.

Work could start in under a year’s time if funding and approval is secured.

Seeking to allay supporters’ concerns about a potential eyesore at one end of McDiarmid, Saints chairman Geoff Brown described the scheme as “a positive move” that would help safeguard the club’s viability.

“We have been working in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council, landowner Bob Reid and the Pilkington Trust, which owns most of the development land on the west side of the new bridge,” he told the PA yesterday.

“No one should believe the plan on paper is accurate as there is a bit of space between the North Stand and the Crematorium’s fence.

“It is not a detailed application in terms of how things will finish up but is a broad impression.

“I would reiterate that to lose the North Stand would not be a disaster to St Johnstone.

“We have 10,738 seats and the North Stand has 1950 seats, so without it we would still have a capacity above the new St Mirren ground.

“If something happens we would wish to get something to finish off, like a smaller stand. It wouldn’t just be left as a motorway past outside with a fence line.

“As far as St Johnstone is concerned, a bridge is required across the A9 to open up Almond Valley and Bertha Park and the possibility of a new bridge over the Tay.

“We are not going to sit in and stop that happening. The larger the population the more chance the club has of ongoing survival.

“The road means our facilities would be easier to reach which would mean we can bring more business in outwith the football.

“Any supporter that has seen the empty stands over the last two SPL seasons should now appreciate that this has to be done.”

Mr Brown said nothing would happen until the depressed housing market shows a significant upturn.

“To fund the bridge and drive the project there has to be income coming from somewhere,” he declared.

“I have held numerous meetings with the landowners because St Johnstone will have to be compensated for taking this route – we would be losing ground at the back of the North Stand and the end of the East Stand.

“Payment would be like a dripping roast – on an ongoing arrangement as with a large housing development site, not a short-term fix bringing in a heap of money.”

Halcrow’s development brief indicates that the works are seen as “a critical first step” towards creating 4000 new homes identified in long-term area plans.

“The future development of Perth is currently constrained by topography,” it states.

“However, the strategic and local road network is also constrained and congested. Current access into the Almond Valley/Inveralmond area from the A85 and A9 is of a poor quality and will not be sufficient to support the requirements of the long-term development proposals.”

The agents cite Crieff Road peak time congestion and events days at McDiarmid Park as key road network issues.

“The grade separated interchange is located in such a manner that a new eastern link road will pass to the north of McDiarmid Park requiring the demolition of the north stand,” the authors write.

“A new roundabout will be created on this eastern link road providing new access into St Johnstone’s car park.

“A further link road will head south to join the A85 at the existing entrance to the crematorium where a new roundabout will be formed.”

A council spokesman said yesterday: “Expected costs are in the region of £12-13million, but that ultimately depends on a tendering process.

“The work could be completed by 2013 but it depends whether it will be the private or public sector who take the project forward – discussions are ongoing.

“The agreed funding package would need to be in place and all necessary consents approved before it goes forward. It is difficult to estimate this in the current climate but works would realistically take about one year to complete.”