Have a say on plans before it’s too late

Dear Editor

I reside on Palace Road and have significant concerns for the residents on the road as well as the wider community regarding the proposed Marlee Quarry extension by Laird Aggregates in the three fields on the east side of Palace Road.

We were recently served with a letter of intention from Laird Aggregates about the proposed extension and have had very little time to prepare and organise ourselves for a public meeting held on Zoom last week and conducted by Dalgleish Associates Ltd.

It was very poorly attended by less than 10 people including only one local elected member, Caroline Shiers.

Many of the residents of Palace Road are elderly and that, coupled with poor digital connectivity in the area, made it difficult for many people to attend the meeting.

As an older generation we feel very disenfranchised by the whole situation.

We have a number of concerns about the proposals being put forward, not least of which is that it should actually be classed as a whole new development rather than an extension of the existing quarry as it is quite far removed from the current site and significantly larger.

As well as concerns about the impact of noise, traffic and dust from the new development, which we raised at the meeting, we also feel that there a number of issues with the mitigation measures being proposed.

For example, the proposals refer to an eight-foot bund to minimise the impact of the noise from the site, but that could have an effect on power to the houses on Palace Road as the power supply poles are not much taller than that.

There are also several power supply poles in the site which the excavations will have to work around.

In addition, this is prime agricultural land and, for all the developers’ reassurances that it will be restored following excavation, it can not be restored to prime agricultural land as all the nutrients etc will have been extracted.

We would also like to know what reassurances the developers can give us that the excavations will actually be completed within the 17 year timescale they refer to, or whether it is likely to go on for longer than that.

We have concerns too about the impact on the wildlife, some of it quite rare, that resides in the area - Rae Loch right next to the quarry site is one of at least two SSSIs in the vicinity.

And depending on the wind direction, both the noise and dust from the site will be experienced in Blairgowrie.

My personal health situation is a big concern for me as I am asthmatic and currently in part remission from a very serious health condition which effects my lungs, so dust and air pollution is a big worry.

It is fair to say that most of the residents here won’t be around to see the end of this development but the stress these proposals are causing for us and our families is significant and detrimental to our health and wellbeing.

We are very concerned about these proposals and would encourage Blairie readers to find out more about what this development actually involves and have their say before it’s too late.

Billy Whytock