Homes plan sparks objection from peer
Lord Patel raises concerns over potential road block
A member of the House of Lords has objected to a duo’s application to build two houses in Dunkeld over concerns construction workers may block off a local road while building them.
Crossbench peer Lord Patel of Dunkeld has urged Perth and Kinross Council to seek a “firm commitment” from Eric and Jane Bremner that traffic will not be prevented from using Spoutwell at any time if they secure permission to build houses on land north east of North Lodge.
The former chancellor of the University of Dundee, who was knighted in 1997 and was made a life peer two years later, has also recommended the local authority establishes whether new residents will share responsibility for the upkeep of the road along with existing residents.
Lord Patel was born in Tanzania, studied medicine at Queen’s College, St Andrews, and worked at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for more than 30 years specialising in high-risk obstetrics.
He is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, an honorary fellow of several Royal Colleges and has honorary doctorates in the UK and overseas.
In 2010 Lord Patel became the first Scottish Asian to receive the Order of the Thistle from the Queen. In the House of Lords he presently chairs the science and technology committee.
Lord Patel has told PKC: “The access to the site of [the] proposed development is from a private road, Spoutwell, which is a narrow lane 2.03 metres wide at the point of proposed access.
“The road is right of access to residents of 14 houses who are also responsible for meeting costs of upkeep of the road.
“Access by residents using the road, supply vehicles and most importantly emergency vehicles is required at all times and cannot be blocked.
“Several of the residents are elderly. Pedestrians including children also use the road. [The] road is not suitable for big vehicles including refuse collection vehicles.
“We need firm commitment in writing from developers and owners of the site that access will not be blocked during construction at all times [and] also that future residents will have shared responsibility.
“Importantly, we need confirmation that the owners of the private road have granted permission. Before council grants planning permission, we would like confirmation of above in writing.”
The planning application has drawn a further 11 objections from locals and will have to be determined by councillors at a later date.