Anger at new homes plan
Anxious Kinross residents have demanded the second phase of a controversial development be scrapped over fears for children’s safety and their belief council staff failed to properly oversee its first phase.
People living in the town’s Gallowhill Road have written a joint letter to PKC’s chief executive Karen Reid urging her to tell planning staff not to grant Persimmon Homes permission to build a further 195 homes at Lathro Farm.
They claim the latest application submitted by the housebuilder, which drew 156 objections from locals, would see a major upsurge in traffic on Gallowhill Road, which hundreds of Kinross High School pupils walk along to get to classes every weekday.
The residential street is outlined in the application as the main access to the new houses, despite locals complaining its existing pavements are so narrow school pupils are forced on to the road when walking to and from school in groups.
Now residents fear the street could become an accident blackspot as the overall development is expected to send nearly 400 more cars on to a local road network they describe as already being “inadequate”.
Their joint letter to Ms Reid, which was signed by more than 30 residents, reads: “Gallowhill Road is used as a through route by hundreds of Kinross High School children aged between 11 and 18, many of whom are forced onto the road due to the narrow pavement.
“It is the main access road for Gallowhill caravan site and therefore carries wide vehicles, including caravans, motor homes and tractors.
“We want to express our serious concerns for the safety of pedestrians, the protection of the environment and for the lack of inclusive mobility should phase two proceed.”
PKC’s own transport planning department has raised an objection to the phase two plan, saying its road designs do not comply with national guidelines and further modelling of the development’s impact on traffic is required in light of an accident which led to injury in 2015.And it is understood the council’s initial consent for Persimmon Homes’ first planning application for Lathro Farm could yet be subject to legal challenge as it is claimed council officers recently admitted to councillors that mistakes were made.
A PKC spokesperson said: “We are aware of the concerns being raised, and we can confirm that a revised planning application for phase two of the development is under consideration currently.”