‘Mind-boggling arrogance’ of planners over link road

Dear Editor

According to today’s Stirling Observer (November 14, 2018), Stirling Council planners have determined that the proposed Viewforth Link does not warrant an Environmental Impact Assessment as “it would not result in a significant effect on the environment”.

This is a piece of mind-boggling arrogance and a gross misuse of the screening powers designated to planning authorities to determine whether a proposed development requires an EIA.

Town and Country Planning (EIA) Scotland Regulations 2017 state (Schedule 2 Infrastructure Projects para f ) that EIA is required for “construction of roads where area of works exceed one hectare”.

For the council’s planning department to use its screening powers to prevent an EIA is outrageous.

The environmental impact of this proposal is immediately obvious. To quote King’s Park Community Council’s letter of concern to Stirling Council (March, 2013): `The link road will create an ugly cutting through an important `post glacial raised beach’ landscape feature and associated semi-natural woodland with potentially high public amenity and nature conservation values. The link road will bisect the open space corridor creating a significant barrier across public access/amenity and wildlife habitats between St Ninians and the city centre. The road will pass closely by two listed buildings and will be out of character with local built heritage”.

These points are in addition to taking a significant chunk out of Stirling’s ever diminishing “green lung” and trashing an important designated Conservation Area.

How can this proposal conceivably not “significantly affect the local environment” and therefore warrant a full EIA? This must be carried out and it is our fervent hope that it would provide further support to other environmental, traffic and safety reasons why this project should not go ahead.

Dr William Ruddell By email