Traveller sites policy row

PERTH AND Kinross Council’s policy on dealing with plans for the development of Traveller sites was last night described as “laissez-faire” by a councillor.

Mike Barnacle toldThe Courier the way the council deals with such applications has led him to believe it is “one rule for Travellers and one for others.”

The independent councillor was speaking in the wake of a planning application lodged on behalf of Mr and Mrs Archie Stewart for a travelling encampment at Mawcarse Crossroads, off the A91 in Kinross-shire.

Last night Mr Barnacle, one of the representatives for the Kinross-shire ward, said he feels there has been a “proliferation” ofTraveller site developments in this region and hit out at the council’s policy for dealing with them.

“There are already significant traveller sites in this area,” he said.

“Kinross-shire has one in Greenacres, one at Crook Moss and now this application for Mawcarse.

“All the plans for Traveller sites are ‘in retrospect’, which means that work has already started. However, all the conditions that were meant to be applied for the Crook Moss site have not been met.

“It seems the council has a laissezfaire attitude to Traveller development applications.

“It is one rule for Travellers and one for others.”

Mr Barnacle added he is looking into the Crook Moss application with regard to the way it was handled and approved by Perth and Kinross Council.

A council spokesman said: “The planning system looks to resolve issues from any such development by seeking submission of a retrospective planning application for determination through the normal planning processes.

“Where development is undertaken without the appropriate consents being in place, regardless of who is involved, we will act in accordance with national planning regulations.

“Where consents are granted with conditions, we will take enforcement action when it is clear that developers are not willing to comply with them within the timescales set out.”

Picture: Phil Hannah. From left, Jason Blyth, Wallace Mitchell, vicepresident Molly Smith, president Ereti Mitchell, Mike Bowman and Henry Philip at the New Zealand Society Scotland’s Waitangi dinner dance at Murrayshall House Hotel, Scone.