Housing plan comment ‘hurt’
Perth businessman Morris Leslie has voiced his “frustration” with the way councillors treated plans for an £8 million homes development.
The Morris Leslie Group’s bid to amend existing planning consent for a holiday homes project near Perth Airport was rejected at the latest meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee. The company had hoped to secure permission to pave the way to a 52-home retirement village aimed at the over-55s market, with no objections lodged by local community councils or members of the public.
While he was frustrated by the committee’s decision to refuse an amendment allowing permanent park homes on the 13-acre
“Forest Park Village” site, the company chairman was more concerned with comments made by Councillors Willie Wilson and Callum Purves.
In moving for refusal, Councillor Wilson said: “It’s a fundamental principle this is not a housing site. To be blunt, it’s trying to get a housing site by the back door.”
Mr Leslie admits he found the comment “hurtful.”
In a letter to the two councillors, he maintained the “back door” claim “could not be further from the truth and paints a reputable, locallybased company in bad light.”
He said: “In more than 40 years of doing business both locally and at the national level, I have never had difficulty with any councillor or politician objecting to, not supporting an application or seeing a planning application turned down on valid grounds.
“However, given the hard-earned reputation of the company over many decades, I am disappointed with some comments made at the committee meeting because they would suggest that the decision to refuse this application was taken without a thorough grasp of the background to this development and the detailed supporting information supplied.”
Mr Leslie, whose Walnut Grove based company employs nearly 300 staff, continued: “If you had studied the painstakingly prepared information pack submitted in support of the application you would have seen we have spent a considerable sum of money and two years of our time working diligently alongside experts from Newcastle University, producing a detailed research report for retirement housing and, in particular, Park Homes.
“This is a sector of the market that is hugely underprovided for and one we are passionate about.
“While the Perth and Kinross economy is currently facing unprecedented challenges triggered by the pandemic, local property agents confirm there remains a clear demand for retirement housing - which is in short supply - and to free up much-needed family accommodation elsewhere in the area.”
Mr Leslie said the company had suggested they could be legally bound to ensure the development would be for over-55s only and not “mainstream housing.”
Addressing concerns expressed over traffic and potential pressure on the Scone surgery, Mr Leslie said: “Again, if the supporting information had been studied, it was clear to see these matters had all been addressed. I firmly believe this is a missed opportunity for Perth.”