Number of new homes could soar Some sites see fivefold increase in development plan
Thousands more homes could end up being built on sites set aside for far fewer five years ago if proposed changes to the council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) go unchallenged during an upcoming public consultation.
The proposed LDP2, which will be used to inform decisions on developments across Perth and Kinross for the next five years once it is agreed, recommends significantly increasing the number of new houses that can be built on more than a dozen sites which have already been identified as suitable for huge housing developments.
In particular a site called Perth West – once deemed suitable to accommodate “a maximum” of 550 houses – has been expanded and is now being recommended to hold at least 2392, and perhaps as many as 3738.
Elsewhere, in Luncarty, a site it was once suggested could contain “in excess” of 300 is now being considered for anything between 589 and 760 new homes.
The same goes for Crieff where it is said a site originally earmarked for “approximately 300” houses could now accommodate as many as 639, while in Stanley 387 houses could end up being built across five sites once said to be suitable for just 280.
Elsewhere the proposed LDP2, which goes out for public consultation on Friday, suggests 80 houses could be built on a site in Inchture where the current LDP says just 16 houses should be built while in Aberfeldy officials reckon another 50 houses could be added to a site deemed suitable for 200 just five years ago.
In addition to these increases PKC planners have also recommended a number of new sites be added to the next LDP including one in Blairgowrie described as the “Blairgowrie Eastern Expansion” – which the document says could end up containing as many as 928 new homes in the future.
Other new sites being recommended for inclusion in the next plan is in Alyth’s Annfield Road and in North West Kirkton in Auchterarder, where officials reckon as many as 112 and 128 new houses could go respectively.
The recommended housing number “ranges” have been introduced to the document, it was said at a meeting of the full council last week, to put an end to the disputes that arise when developers apply to build more houses on sites than the LDP appears to allow for.
Council leader Ian Campbell said at last week’s meeting: “Those of you who have served on [the] development management committee will be aware of the discussion which occurs when a planning application comes in with a higher number of houses than indicated in the LDP,” he said.
“Estimating the number of houses a site can accommodate has always been problematic. There are many factors which affect housing numbers, including market conditions, physical and service constraints, and it’s only when detailed site investigations are completed that a degree of certainty emerges.
“The new approach in the LDP indicates a density range. Hopefully with future applications it will be the exception rather than the norm that the housing number in the LDP is exceeded.”
The consultation on the proposed LDP2 starts on Friday and will end on February 2. Campbell Cllr Ian