PKC looks to protect Lade
Councillors are set to agree plans to deal with dog fouling, vandalism and fly tipping along Perth Lade.
At a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s environment and infrastructure committee this week, councillors will be asked to approve the £900,000 Perth Lade green corridor management plan 2020-2025.
The plan will set out proposals to improve the lade, its paths, its adjoining parks and greenspaces.
It is hoped the plans will make the Lade an attractive, accessible and loved recreational resource used by people of all ages, abilities and interests.
Councillors will be told the Perth Lade is an important, but underappreciated historic, biodiverse, seven kilometre long watercourse which connects the city centre to Almondbank.
The plan will look at measures to deal with vegetation management and biodiversity, littering and fly tipping, dog fouling, vandalism, graffiti and street art, public safety relating to antisocial behaviour, and path, bridge and parkland improvements.
This plan is expected to cost the council £900,000 over a five year period, and the council has said “significant” external funding will need to be sought to help cover these costs.
Cllr Angus Forbes, convener of environment and infrastructure at Perth and Kinross Council, said: “The Lade management plan sets out how the Lade and its adjoining parks and greenspaces can be improved on a sustainable basis, as an attractive and accessible green network.
“The vision of the Lade management plan can be realised over the coming years and this wonderful green corridor can continue to be celebrated as an important place for the city, and for the residents and businesses closest to it.”
This comes after a survey was carried out on the Lade in 2018, which received 372 responses.
The news was welcomed by John Summers OBE, chair of the Beautiful Perth group. He told the PA: “Beautiful Perth is very pleased that the Lade Management Plan addresses improvements to this important asset in our city.
“We have been involved over several years in environmental activity sessions along the Lade working with the Perth and Kinross Council’s Greenspace Team, and we fully support these plans and will help where we can.
“We would ask the local community and visitors to support the Lade proposals and to do their bit by not dropping litter and picking up their dog’s poo to help protect this unique environment and the precious wildlife that it sustains.”