Housing project is given approval

Plans for a major new housing development in Blairgowrie were given the stamp of approval this week.

Councillors on Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee passed proposals to create 117 new homes in the town, despite scores of residents objecting to it.

This now means 20 terraced houses, 34 semi-detached houses and 63 detached houses will be built on land near Piggy Lane on the edge of the town.

Councillors were told to approve the planning application, despite 25 letters of objection being handed in, including one from Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Council.

A petition against the development, signed by over 500 people, was noted in the meeting, but planning bosses said it could not be classed as an official objection because it had been handed in too late.

At the meeting, both councillors Ian James (Strathtay) and Willie Wilson (Perth City South) raised concerns over how the local GP surgery would cope with the new development.

Cllr Harry Coates (Perth City North) also asked if the council could ensure the developers complete the link road before starting the building works, to limit the impact on nearby residents.

Jamie Scott from the council’s planning department said they have asked the developer to create the road to the boundary of the development in“no later than three years”, but added“we can’t oblige the developer to go beyond that boundary”.

Cllr Bob Brawn, vice-convener of the committee and representative for Blairgowrie and Glens, had attempted to reject the application.

The Blairgowrie councillor said he had concerns over road safety, particularly as the development will be near Blairgowrie Community Campus, where hundreds of children from across eastern Perthshire go to school.

Speaking at the meeting, he said:“I am sure it will be made safe for children going to and home from school, but I feel this development is exacerbating problems that already exist. However my objections are based on anecdotal evidence, I don’t have any analytical data to support it, its just based on locals’views.”

Cllr Brawn was told he was unable to object to the proposal merely on anecdotal evidence. As a result, the application was approved by the planning and development management committee without going to a vote.