Fears over traffic and pollution
Concerns over Gannochy Trust’s plans to build 48 homes
A Perth community council is torn over a charitable trust’s proposal to build affordable houses on its estate within the city limits.
On the one hand Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council (BGKCC) has said it would like to support the Gannochy Trust’s plans to build 48 affordable properties on its estate.
On the other, however, the community council has said it will continue to object to developments it thinks will lead to increased congestion in the Bridgend area, where it known levels of pollution are already above EU limits.
Discussing the Trust’s proposal at its last meeting the group’s chairman, Jack Rivett, acknowledged the plan ought to be welcomed as affordable housing is needed in the area and the Trust has a reputation for building good quality housing.
However secretary Dave Beattie stated that in his opinion a transport assessment accompanying the Trust’s application prepared by consultants Mott MacDonald had underestimated the levels of extra traffic the development would bring into the area.
The group’s former chairman, Graham Fleming, agreed with Mr Beattie’s comments, saying Mott MacDonald seemed to have used what he called “flawed assumptions” and “incorrect arithmetic” in its work, adding that the area’s infrastructure was already believed to be at 90 per cent capacity, particularly at Main Street.
Mr Fleming went on to say that any increase in traffic when roads are already at this capacity is likely to double the length of queues forming at traffic lights and that this was something the Trust’s assessment also appeared to have ignored.
“This is a piece of work that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” he
said.
BGKCC has yet to reveal how it will respond to the Trust’s application. Meanwhile, further up the A94 Scone and District Community Council (SDCC) has objected to the proposal asserting it is “inevitable” the development will increase congestion and pollution in Bridgend.
In its letter to PKC planners SDCC said: “The traffic impact assessment provided by the applicant indicates a small but inevitable increase in the Bridgend area, which will have an inevitable impact on the congestion and pollution problems ongoing at Bridgend.
“The Perth and Kinross Policy TA1 clearly states “development must not have a detrimental impact on existing transport networks” and this proposed development will have a detrimental impact.
“Current levels of pollution in the Bridgend area are already above the recognised legal limits and it is inevitable that this development will increase traffic levels.
“We wish to register our objection to the grant of any consent in respect of this development until such time as the pollution levels at Bridgend can be contained within legal limits.”
Asked to respond to BGKCC’s comments about its transport assessment a Gannochy Trust spokesperson: “The Transport Assessment was developed by the Trust’s consultants following detailed consultation with PKC’s transport planning department on the appropriate scope and content for a development of this nature and size.”