PKC’s expenses claim for planning battle

Perth and Kinross Council is attempting to claim expenses for opposing a request by man who wants the authority to buy his land.

The PA reported last month that Glasgow man John Munro had served notice on council top brass to purchase his interest in 600 square metres next to Kinnoull Primary School in Perth.

Mr Munro claims a series of decisions taken by planning representatives to deny him permission to build houses on the site has led to a situation where “the land has become incapable of reasonably beneficial use in its existing state”.

He also claims the site south of Witchill in Kinnoull Terrace “cannot be used beneficially for carrying out any other development for which the local authority or the DPEA has granted permission”.

PKC has rejected the demand, but the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) has now been called in to settle the dispute. A hearing is expected to be scheduled soon.

But ahead of that one of PKC’s planning officers has written to the DPEA insisting Mr Munro cover its costs.

The officer’s letter reads: “Mr Munro cannot reasonably claim to believe that he could succeed in this purchase notice appeal given the site history.

“Not only have there been around eight planning applications refused but also five appeals dismissed, and most importantly, two previous purchase notice refused in 1998 and 2009.

“With so many refusals, appeals dismissed and two purchase notices not previously confirmed, Mr Munro is well aware of the planning position in relation to the site.

“For whatever reason, Mr Munro chooses not to accept the situation, however, as the planning position is clear, PKC should not have been forced to incur such unnecessary expense in participating in this purchase notice hearing.”