The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Objectors to housing angry at being ignored
scone: Survey shows 98% of residents do not want homes built before new A9 link
Furious Scone residents have accused council officers of ignoring a survey which shows widespread opposition to a major housing development.
Community councillors polled hundreds of households to gauge support for controversial plans to build 700 homes to the north of the village.
The results showed that more than 98% were against the development, arguing that it must not go ahead before the Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) – connecting Scone to the A9 – is in place.
Construction firm A&J Stephen is poised to submit a planning application for the development.
The company wants to build on farmland between Spoutswell Drive and Angus Road but objectors say it will lead to a huge increase in congestion and pollution problems.
Now, council planners have sparked anger with their response to the questionnaire.
In a letter to community council secretary Hazel MacKinnon, planning officer Bea Nichol says: “We welcome the fact that your main concern is with the timing of the development in relation to the CTLR, rather than the development itself.
“Nonetheless, this is not entirely reflected in some of the statements that you have made regarding the proposal.
“Whilst the council acknowledge the value of community survey as a mechanism to gain valuable local information, the form that they take and the questions that are posed can determine the statistical outcomes that are presented.
“In this case, it is unclear as to the actual number of responses that the questionnaire received and where those that did respond lived.”
Addressing concerns that the housing could be built before the link road is ready, she said: “The Scone North housing allocation will be developed in tandem with the construction of the CTLR.
“The building rate on this site is likely to be far slower than appears to be envisaged. It is unlikely the first 100 units will be built by the time the CTLR is complete. As such, it will not contribute significantly to pollution levels at Bridgend.”
In response, a spokesman for the Scone watchdog group said: “Scone and District Community Council wishes to express its profound and continuing concern that Perth and Kinross planning department have chosen to ignore the views of the residents of Scone.
“The result of this questionnaire cannot be in any doubt, as 98% of the respondents say that there should be no houses built until the CTLR and its infrastructure are in place.”
He added: “We consider that the results clearly demonstrate that half the village, no matter where they live, are strongly against this development.”
A council spokeswoman stressed the results had not been ignored, but added: “The points raised in their survey relate to the Local Development Plan which was approved in 2014 and the council is not in a position to revisit this decision.”
Work on the Tay crossing is set to begin in 2019 or 2020.
The Scone North housing allocation will be developed in tandem with the construction of the Cross Tay Link Road. PLANNING OFFICER BEA NICHOL