Decision is no vote winner
I write with regard to the comments made by Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, in respect of the Park of Keir decision in the Observer last Friday (September 1, 2017).
I find the fact that he “will continue to ensure that all my constituents views are represented and that the conditions imposed by the minister, which appear to address some of the main concerns raised are adhered to” frankly quite offensive in the least.
The current SNP Government follows a much-trodden course of bandying about phrases such as “national interest “and “economic benefit” with cavalier fashion in an attempt to add political weight to their many unpopular decisions.
In this case, residents who care for the area and its inherent beauty will find ministers’ justification totally spurious.
Mr Brown is THE MSP for Clackmannanshire & Dunblane and as such he should have been active in supporting his valued constituents and voicing their strong opinions to his ministers but instead the silence has been publicly deafening, broken by nothing more than lacklustre words which pay lip service to his constituents’ “views” after the event.
The MSP is most certainly not representing the community and whilst no one is against the development of new sporting facilities; this is not the place for a development of its type.
To clarify this: there are 59 tennis courts within a 15-mile radius of the proposed site for a population of around 100,000 whereas there are only 39 in Glasgow for example, catering for one million people.
We also have the National Tennis Centre - which nurtured Andy Murray - on our doorstep, so it is extremely hard to understand the rationale for yet another “national” centre on precious greenbelt land less than three miles away.
In summary, the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane MSP is not representing the community, is clearly towing his party line and not doing anything which will rock the boat.
This is a clear travesty for local democracy and both short-sighted and reprehensible.
Alexander Stewart MSP Scottish Conservative and Unionist (Mid Scotland and Fife) Spokesperson and Shadow Minister for Local Government Dear Editor
As a Dunblane resident and now ex- SNP voter, I’m appalled at the abuse of power being wielded by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her party.
To come down on the side of a property developer against a local government decision, the wishes of local people and the findings of your own Reporter is taking the friendship between the leadership of the SNP and Judy Murray too far.
I would have thought the fact that Steven Paterson being voted out as Stirling MP would have been an indicator that cronyism does not cut it here .
I believe so far this year the figure for SNP overturning decisions and coming down on the side of developers is 53 per cent.
Mrs Murray has no written / legal contract with the builder so after he has built the first of his houses he can decline to progress the tennis centre. Putting in a clause saying the houses cannot be occupied until the centre starts I believe will not hold up if there’s a legal challenge.
As someone who wants an independent Scotland, I however feel like many other former SNP voters that the SNP are not fit to govern.
This issue will not go away and once it is common knowledge that the main road from Bridge of Allan to the Keir Roundabout is to have traffic calming, speed bumps etc because of the centre there will be outrage.
There are other sites far more suitable for this project but Duncan King does not own them.
As far as I’m concerned there is no democracy in Scotland anymore. It’s a case of SNP know best. This is not a vote winner.
Dave Cantwell Dunblane By email