Public invited to give feedback on Perth and Kinross masterplan

People are being urged to help shape a masterplan for the future of Perth, which will pave the way for tens of thousands of new homes and businesses.

A consultation on the proposed Local Development Plan (LDP) will be held in the city today.

The drop-in event at Perth and Kinross Council’s High Street HQ, from 3pm to 8pm, aims to gather feedback on a series of major proposals.

The plan highlights a need for around 12,000 new houses over the next nine years to cope with a predicted population surge.

It will formally set aside swathes of land for a range of development projects, including the massive Perth West scheme, which will see more than 3,700 houses and prime employment on land off the A9.

About 670 acres of greenfield land will be formally earmarked for the development.

The 50-acre Friarton Quarry could also be redesignated for housing and leisure facilities, such as a dry ski slope.

And the £1 billion Bertha Park site could be expanded further, with a new park and ride facility.

The LDP also aims to address an issue which has been raised repeatedly at planning meetings – officers receiving complaints about several housing projects, where developers have proposed more houses than was allocated in the previous LDP.

To tackle this, the new masterplan includes a “density range” to ensure housing numbers are only exceeded in exceptional cases.

At the event, people can also inspect the latest proposals for Perth City Hall, the railway station and the new PH20 leisure centre bid.