Dozens of new homes approved at city’s edge

PERTH is set for further expansion after councillors backed plans for nearly 50 homes off Glasgow Road.

The properties will be built across a 10-acre plot on the southern edge of the city, at an area known as West Woodlands.

A&J Stephen, which won outline planning consent for the development about five years ago, said the detailed bid for three phases of the scheme had now been passed by Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee.

Objector Alan Rutherford said the project had “no merit whatsoever”.

He said that because the bid was lodged as three separate planning applications, the project had escaped full scrutiny.

He added: “They will be packed on to the site like sardines. The loss of trees will leave a huge visual scar. Its just vandalism.”

John Stephen, managing director of Perth’s A&J Stephen, said work could begin very quickly.

“Initially, we felt that a small number of much larger houses would be suitable for this site,” he said. “Once we carried out an assessment of the market, however, it became evident that there was a shortage of affordable homes in this part of Perth and also a distinct lack of smaller homes.

“These would be suitable for the area’s ageing population and also those with a desire to downsize.”

A traffic analysis lodged by the company said the impact on the A93 would be “negligible”.

Lib Dem councillor Willie Wilson supported the project.

“I think this is different and innovative and provides a variety of houses that will be attractive to buyers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the housebuilder has also secured consent for a multimillion-pound development to the north of Perth.

More than 100 people objected to proposals for the development at Luncarty.

A&J Stephen and I&H Brown want to build about 650 houses across 100 acres of farmland, a plan they say will provide muchneeded affordable homes and space for start-up businesses.

Opponents said the settlement would urbanise the countryside.

However, the plan was approved by members of the development management committee.

The West Woodlands site.