Park area plans anger residents
Plans for a new house on common land in Longforgan have been slammed by local residents.
Carse Developments want to build a storey and a half home on green space in the village’s Mary Findlay Drive.
However, residents say the land is used the land for recreational activities.
Mary Findlay Drive resident Jim Gethins told the PA: “My house looks over the site and when we bought our houses, the land here was integral. The area is maybe half the size or a third of the size of a football field and it is used by lots of kids and dog walkers.
“We don’t need any more houses. It will only bring havoc and chaos moving all of the plant machinery in. There is already enough traffic here and it will spoil the views from homes.
“We’ve been offered benches as a sweetener but we don’t want the application to go ahead.”
Neighbour Chris Vardy said: “I vehemently oppose this proposal for several reasons. The amenity land in question is used throughout the year by the children of Mary Findlay Drive to play on. Halving of this land would have a detrimental effect.
“The amenity land is used as a thoroughfare by the children living in the properties on the west of Mary Findlay Drive to safely access the small play park. It is also used by numerous people to access the bus stops as well as dog walkers.”
All three Carse of Gowrie councillors are opposing the application.
Cllr Alasdair Bailey said: “Approving this application would open the floodgates to speculators who would
Chris Vardy
buy up and attempt to develop parcels of amenity and recreational ground within housing developments across the Perth and Kinross Council area.
“These areas were left as open space by the original developers to comply with the prevailing planning guidance. To now develop them does a great disservice to the residents who bought
Councillor Alasdair Bailey with Mary Findlay Drive residents Trevor Ewing, Jim Gethins, Pat Thomson and Doug Smith houses with an expectation that such land be maintained for the common good.
“This is distinctly different to the matter of infill and vacant plots within our settlements which were never specifically set aside for community use.”
Cllr Angus Forbes added: “A number of residents of Mary Findlay Drive have contacted me in the last few days in regard to this application.
“I know the piece of land well and was under the impression it was owned by Greenspace Limited who have responsibility for the green areas in that estate.
“I will be lodging an objection to this application and hopefully we can stop it in its tracks before it goes any further.”
Cllr Beth Pover echoed this. She said: “I would support the view of the other two councillors for the same reasons.”