Calls for broken wall to be fixed
Dunblane Community Council members feel “let down” by Stirling Council over a collapsed wall.
The wall separates a section of pavement at Ledcameroch on the B8033 Perth Road from private land, and has been cordoned off for more than two years.
At a meeting of the Community Council on Wednesday night, members expressed their frustrations to roads and land service manager David Crighton.
During a tense discussion, Mr Crighton revealed that the owners of the wall are believed to be living in Spain.
Stirling Council has been able to confirm that the property is owned by County Developments Ltd, and they believe that the owners may be a husband and wife.
The company, however, has been dissolved and the council is now attempting to contact them through their last known business address.
Mr Crighton repeatedly outlined that the council was unable to make any building repairs as the wall is a private structure.
At a meeting of Stirling Council’s environment and housing committee, a petition was tabled urging the council to find funding to repair the wall and seek reimbursement from the owners.
Mr Crighton said that if Stirling Council were unable to contact the owners, repairing the damaged portion of the wall would be a potential option.
However, he stressed: “We are not giving that promise, just to be clear.”
“We, as a community council, feel let down”, said community councillor Allan Booth, informing Mr Crighton that the issue had first arisen back in 2011.
He added: “My concern is that we have been asking you to do something for seven years. Then, when a petition comes out we get a response.
“So, is the only way to get things done through a petition?”
The community council also rejected the idea of a temporary closure of the footpath, with Mr Booth arguing that the owners of the wall are obstructing the footpath.
Community council chair David Prescott said: “People have been playing around with this for years. This is the sort of thing that really bothers people.”
There were also concerns raised about the state of the Perth road, with members highlighting potholes which were splashing water on the wall.
“There is a water problem. The local stone is very soft and you can see the stone disintegrating.
“This needs sorted out properly, and it gets us cross.
“We want to see the council getting on with its job.” Mr Prescott said.