£29m housing project given green light

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a £29 million housing estate have been approved, despite concerns it could “ghettoise” people in social housing.

Springfield Properties, the firm behind the Bertha Park development on the edge of Perth, has won permission to build 217 homes at its Kinloch Gardens site, off Glenalmond Road in Rattray.

Springfield’s plan includes 60 low-cost homes.

However, the move faced opposition from some councillors, who felt a block of affordable housing on the edge of the site was inappropriate.

Councillor Anne Jarvis said the plan risked “ghettoising” people living in affordable accommodation while fellow councillor Bob Brawn called for the application to be rejected.

“Being integrated into the estate would create more of a neighbourhood and there is scope to include social housing throughout the site,” he said.

Agent David Jewell told members of Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee that providers prefer to have a cluster of affordable homes.

He said the western section would be one of the development.

Mr Brawn’s motion was defeated by eight votes to six.

There was also opposition from Wood Leisure, operator of Blairgowrie Holiday Park, which said the closeness of the development could affect the “desirability” of the park.

Springfield Properties managing director Innes Smith said: “We have a real opportunity in Rattray to extend our successful development here and continue to offer buyers homes with a great level of specification and a wide variety of choices.” first phases of the

Kirsty Evans, a pizza delivery driver for Domino’s.