Chance to probe big Perth West proposal

Housing, offices, hotel and heritage park planned

Councillors will be given an opportunity to raise concerns about a massive mixed-use development planned west of Perth with city officials this week.

The council’s planning committee is scheduled to consider a proposal of application notice (PAN) from the John Dewar Lamberkin Trust for the ambitious Perth West project tomorrow morning (Wednesday, March 11).

The PAN states the Trust considers land adjacent to the

A9 west of Broxden as suitable for a mix of private housing, depots, offices, refuelling stations, a heritage park and a hotel.

Members of the public got a glimpse of detailed drawings and a chance to quiz the trust’s agents and architects about the proposals at a special event held at Huntingtower Hotel last month.

Now councillors will be asked if they want to see any issues raised by residents during or since that event addressed by the trust when they send PKC a proper planning application for the scheme.

A report ready to go before the planning committee reveals officials have already decided the trust will need to submit an environmental impact assessment, a design and access statement and a construction traffic management plan with any forthcoming application.

The same officials have also decided SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, Transport Scotland, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and local groups such as Methven and District Community Council will need to be consulted when an application is submitted.

The PAN is due to be discussed just weeks after PKC received notice from the Dupplin Renewable Energy Company that it was about to commence screening works for a new energy park it wants to create within woodland south of Broxden.

A previous PAN associated with the same proposal explained it is the company’s intention to build the park “to serve buildings within Perth and the surrounding area including [the] Perth West development with low carbon, locally sourced heat and electricity”.

A spokesperson for the company said of the plan: “Pre-application screening work is underway relating to the development of renewable power for Perth West and the wider needs of the city in the future.

“We envisage a low-carbon energy park to supply part of the city of Perth and the new development of Perth West with locally sourced power.

“The screening exercise is part of the pre-application planning for Perth West and we expect to submit a planning application shortly thereafter.”