Pitch work is giving cause for concern
Resident’s erosion worry at playing fields in Dallerie
A Crieff resident is speaking out about work at Morrison’s Academy’s Dallerie playing fields, which he believes is causing a risk to nearby properties.
Douglas Gorrie’s home in Sauchie Road backs onto the playing fields which have recently had hockey pitches added.
His prime concern is that the original planning application stated that the proposal was not thought to increase the flood risk elsewhere but Mr Gorrie maintains that erosion is occurring at the banking, which his house sits on top of, because of extra works.
Mr Gorrie said the new development has further exacerbated flooding at the lade, which was closed off by Morrison’s in 1999, because the chamber that is meant to take water away is choked and a large mound of earth has also been created at the bottom of the slope.
Notification was given on June 1 that planning permission was being sought in retrospect for the construction of a concrete drainage chamber, installed as part of the new hockey pitch, and associated works, and was part of a redesign of the original drainage scheme that had not been included in the original application.
Mr Gorrie added: “There’s been a lot of work carried out without planning permission and there’s been a lot of work, where planning permission has been granted, that wasn’t carried out.”
He continued: “The ground at the bottom of the bank has been raised and Gabion baskets have been put in. They have been placed there without planning permission.”
Mr Gorrie also believes there have not been enough inspections by Perth and Kinross Council during the work. He has had to contact council officials and SEPA on several occasions to have work stopped.
The 85- year- old says he has had good service from PKC when reporting his concerns and has also had good communications with Morrison’s bursar but he is still very worried.
A spokesperson for Morison’s Academy reiterated the school’s aim of being “considerate and supportive to our local community.”
They added: “The completion of the artificial pitch works is in the process of being finalised with the planning authority, therefore, we cannot comment at this stage. The retrospective planning permission is in relation to recently completed drainage works, associated with the pitch, which has been designed by consulting engineers to design flows agreed with SEPA.”
Perth and Kinross Council was asked for a statement but at the time of going to press had not responded.