Community needs facilities

Sir, - I write with reference to your article about the planning permission for flats to be developed in the old Hill Primary School, Blairgowrie.

This gave the impression that the Ericht Trust was unable to buy the buildings.

The Ericht Trust was in a position to buy the buildings supported by a grant from Scottish and Southern Energy.

The trustees spent four years and more than 2,000 hours of voluntary work, to say nothing of the pro bono work done by professionals who believed in our project.

The trust also spent over £60,000 on surveys, business plans and valuation reports as well as legal fees to be ready to submit an offer to buy the school.

The offer was submitted in Scottish legal terms, accompanied by 30 or more documents in support of the bid on June 10 2015.

It was a great pity that our bid came too early before the Community Empowerment Act came in to force (January 2017) otherwise things would have looked very different today.

Unfortunately, the estates committee decided on a vote of three to two to give Corryard the preferred-bidder status.

They chose housing over the plans for a cultural and heritage centre.

The town still needs these facilities planned for the school as was demonstrated in the charrette run last year.

The Ericht Trust and this community were extremely disappointed that Perth and Kinross Council chose a housing development over community aspirations. Dr Jessie MA Shaw. Trustee, The Ericht Trust, Blairgowrie.