Underpass plan likely to be sensitive issue

Councillor Willie Wilson has suggested an underpass under the A9 just north of Broxden could be a source of debate and controversy in the future.

Cllr Wilson made the remarks as Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee were last week given a glimpse of potential plans for Perth West.

The major mixed use development is expected to come before councillors soon.

Plans include space for residential, business, education and industrial use, hotel, community and health facilities, storage and distribution centres, charging/fuelling station, formation of A9 junction, link road, active travel network, innovation highway and public road improvements, vehicle depot and parking areas, heritage park, open spaces, landscaping and associated works at Perth West (MU70), Old Gallows Road.

The first public exhibition of plans was held on February 6 at the Leonardo Hotel in Huntingtower.

More exhibitions are due to take place.

Cllr Wilson, who represents Perth City South, said there were lots of medieval links to Huntingtower Castle and the area would be of archeological interest.

He suspects the link roadway underneath the bypass will become an “issue of debate and controversy in the future.”

Cllr Henry Anderson said he was “puzzled” by the thin stretch on the eastern edge of the southbound carriageway just south of Broxden and how access would work for that.

Cllr David Illingworth said there was “not a huge deal of resistance to it yet”.