Wolfhill residents win council support over new house plans

Dec 9 2011 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A HOWL of objectionover a farmer’s plans to build 14 houses on a 1.5-hectare site near Perth was heeded by councillors this week.

The development control committee of Perth and Kinross Council went on to chide the applicant and his agents for failing to communicate with Wolfhill residents before lodging their “poor effort of an application” with the planning authority.

The public slating was directed at applicant Graham Fenton of J Fenton & Sons, Loanhead Farm, Guildtown, and his agent Ian McCully, of Perth firm Legacy Land Ltd, for their full planning application to build on the land to the west of Fraser Avenue in Wolfhill – a site which gained outline planning consent in 2009.

But as the voice of the community, Derek Woodcock, explained to councillors “the devil is in the detail”.

He was addressing the committee on the objectors’ concerns to the full planning application.

Size

These objections included inappropriate density, size and design of the proposed houses which it was claimed would lead to loss of character of the village and loss of privacy.

Mr Woodcock told councillors: “We are fully aware the site is zoned for housing, but the devil is in the detail here.”

He criticised the developer for not addressing residents’ concerns, with the main point of contention on the height of the proposed buildings.

He continued: “In granting outline consent, the developer was recommended to consult locals [before submitting a full application] but there has been no dialogue whatsoever.”

The objectors were supported by ward councillors Lewis Simpson and Ian Miller who both urged the committee to go against the recommendation for approval by the council’s development control manager Nick Brian.

Community

Councillor Simpson suggested the proposed new houses would “change forever the appearance of Wolfhill”.

Councillor Miller slammed: “The community simply want their views to be heard and it is appalling that the developer has refused to do so.”

The committee unanimously backed the ward councillors’ call to refuse the application.

Leading the verbal criticism was Councillor Lorraine Caddell: “The community understands there will be a development but have said repeatedly that they are more than willing to engage with the developer, but the developer is totally disregarding that.”

Convener Willie Wilson said: “The applicant has shot himself in the foot by not using a bit of sense.

“The size, nature and design of these [proposed] houses hardly at all reaches the aspirations of this committee.

“It is a poor effort of an application.”