Proposed density of site worries neighbours

The breakdown of the types of properties that have been proposed of the Blackthorn Place site in Blairgowrie was discussed at a meeting with neighbours held in the town last week.

The controversial proposals first came to light earlier this year when Perth and Kinross Council approved funding of nearly half a million pounds to Hillcrest Housing Association for the development of 71 units at the site.

Councillors agreed to hand the housing association“commuted sums” worth £471,500 to develop the new dwellings at Blackthorn Place at a meeting of the council’s enterprise and infrastructure committee in January.

Hillcrest secured the sum after requesting the cash be taken from the council’s affordable housing developers contributions fund for the Strathmore and the Glens Housing Market Area (HMA).

Developers Stewart Milne are behind the planning application for the site, which it is claimed will contribute towards addressing the recognised significant demand for affordable housing in Blairgowrie.

However, neighbouring residents have hit out at the plans, saying they include too many houses for the size of the site.

At the meeting, a representative from Perth and Kinross Council’s housing team said that, following feedback from the community, there would be 11 shared equity properties available to purchase, 12 mid-market rental properties, and that the remaining 46 properties would be social housing with 24 managed by the local authority and 22 managed by Hillcrest.

The properties would be a mix of flats, terraced housing, semi-detached units and bungalows.

They went on to say that they currently have around 300 families on the waiting list for housing and that the majority of people who want to live in Blairgowrie already live in the town but are currently in unsuitable or overcrowded accommodation.

She said: “Most of the people on the list are from this area looking.

“We’re not anticipating that there will be a huge influx of people.”

However, it also emerged at the meeting that - even with the £471,500 from Perth and Kinross Council - the site would not be affordable for the developers at any other density.

The council officer said:“The developer needs to make the whole development stack up.

“I don’t think any money has changed hands as yet but we’ll look into that.

“But the development would not be affordable at any other density of housing.”

One member of the public questioned that, commenting :“Stewart Milne has put in this application to make as much money as possible, he’s a builder, not a social worker.

“If he can’t afford to build at Blackthorn Place how can he afford to build at Maple Place?”