Lathro Farm site feud escalates
Calls for investigation into planning row
A couple have called on every politician representing people in Kinross to intervene in an ongoing row over a huge development being built next to their street.
The couple, who do not wish to be named at this stage, believe Persimmon Homes are building new properties at their Lathro Farm site much closer to houses in Lathro Lane than was agreed with town planners.
They have now asked their MP, MSPs and ward councillors to investigate.
It is alleged the company has built foundations for new houses within three metres of properties at the end of Lathro Lane despite councillors being told before approving the development back in 2016 that “acceptable separation distances” would be left between them.
It comes a little over a week after Perth and Kinross Council took enforcement action against Persimmon Homes over its development at Cherrybank in Perth for allegedly breaching six conditions attached to its planning consent.
The couple’s letter to the likes of Luke Graham MP and Mark Ruskell MSP reads: “Prior to purchasing our property, we studied the PKC [Local] Development Plan and attended information meetings about the plan before deciding to purchase our current home. We therefore considered ourselves to be reasonably well informed about the Lathro Farm development.
“However, it became obvious to us early on in the planning and consultation process that the [plan] bore scant relationship to the density and scale of the development for which permission was eventually granted and we
How near the new homes are being built to Lathro Lane. Picture: Ken Whitcombe of Aerial Photography Solutions became somewhat concerned.
“We have viewed the ongoing development with increasing concern.
“Wildlife habitats were not protected, ancient trees were felled and we were subjected to noise from the site outwith the hours legally allowed.
“We became alarmed then finally indignant about the way planning regulations seem to have been either ignored or adapted.
“The matter of urgent concern that has prompted this correspondence to you is the very close proximity of the foundations of properties that are to abut the end of Lathro Lane.
“It is obvious that the buffer strip that was to have [been] run along the whole of the southern boundary of the site is not going to fit in the space between the new houses and the existing Lathro Lane properties.
“The adjacent properties will be barely three metres from the existing properties in Lathro Lane creating obvious issues of noise and light pollution, as well as the loss of light to one of our neighbour’s properties.”
The letter continues: “The other residents of Lathro Lane have also voiced their concerns.
“Many of them are longterm residents of rented accommodation and did not feel that they had a right to comment on the plans for the adjacent site.”
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell commented yesterday: “I am aware of the issue raised by constituents in relation to the housing development at Lathro Farm and their concerns that conditions in relation to the housing development as agreed by PKC are not being met.
“I have written to PKC to investigate this issue.”
A council spokesperson responded yesterday: “The development was approved on the basis that the distances between new houses and existing properties was considered appropriate and in line with [Local] Development Plan policy and guidance. This matter was discussed in the report of handling for the planning application.
“Council officers visited the Lathro development site this week to investigate concerns raised that a new dwelling was being built closer to existing houses than what has been approved.
Officers are in the process of verifying measurements taken at the site with the approved drawings and have approached the developer for comment.
“When we have a full response from the developer, we will establish if a breach has taken place.”
A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes had only said by our print deadline yesterday: “All the properties [at Lathro Farm] are being constructed strictly in accordance with the plans that have been approved by PKC.”