Businessman says he will fight order to rip up riverside fences

perthshire: Landowner claims the selling agent advised him to fence the land off

A prominent Perth businessman has vowed to fight a council order to rip up what he terms “safety measures” on a local riverbank.

Mike Paton bought the stretch of land next to the River Almond for a “considerable sum” after it became a haven for anti-social behaviour, including apparent drug use.

On the advice of the sellers, Greenbelt Energy Ltd, he fenced the land off and created a waterside haven for locals, who were all given a code to the gate.

The 68-year-old, who lives in Huntingtowerfield, also installed a stairway to replace the existing crumbling stone steps.

A right of way running between the site and Mr Paton’s home has been maintained.

However, after submitting a retrospective planning application to Perth and Kinross Council he was shocked to be told to rip it all out again.

Mr Paton, who is a director at bodywork firm Elder and Paton, said he would fight the ruling as far as Scottish Government level if needed.

He said: “People have said ‘you’d think he owns the ground the way he’s carrying on’, but I do own the ground – I bought it.

“The reason I bought it was because there was people going down there on Saturday evenings and on Sunday morning there would be needles, fouling and rubbish – it was disgusting.

“Greenbelt said to fence it, which I did not knowing I would need planning permission.

“There is a code on the gate, but all my neighbours have the code and use it.

“There was steps there before and I thought I was just putting back in place what was there.

“It’s safe where it wasn’t before and I’m not stopping anyone going down there – the gate just means I can shut it on a Saturday night – I’ve never said no to anybody who asked to go down.

“It’s a smashing facility – we’ve held charity barbecues down there.

“I never called it a garden – the planning department called it a garden. “I will be appealing the refusal. “I’ll fight it all the way (to the Scottish Government) if I have to.”

Mr Paton’s alterations have been supported by several neighbours, including Sheila and Bruce Miller.

Sheila said: “I haven’t been down there since the big flood in 2011 – I couldn’t get down.

“We are 100% behind Mike – the complaints are without merit. It was pleasant before, but it wasn’t safe.”

It’s safe where it wasn’t before and I’m not stopping anyone going down there – the gate just means I can shutitona Saturday night. MIKE PATON

Picture: Angus Findlay. Mike Paton at the riverside area he created behind his house.