Brakes put on move over road

Driving school’s plan is withdrawn

A driving school has dropped its bid to shift its reception area from one side of a public road to the other after it was said local residents feared the change could end up polluting their drinking water.

Walter Alexander of the Scottish Off-Road Driving Centre at Glentarkie applied for consent to move its portable reception to the west side of the Strathmiglo to Glenfoot road so it would be closer to the centre’s off-road track area.

Joanne Plant, of property consultancy Galbraith, told Perth and Kinross Council in supporting documents the switch would reduce vehicle movements in the area as all driving centre-related activity “would be located to the west of the public road”.

Ms Plant added: “Appropriate foul and surface water drainage provision has been designed ... and connection to a private water supply is proposed.”

However the Glentarkie Steading Residents Association objected to the plan pointing out the application site lies 2m above the road and the proposed works would have to be carried out within 50m of the private borehole and water storage tank which serves their community.

Independent planning consultant Garry Dimeck, who penned the group’s objection, reminded PKC local householders once had to get by using bottled water for a year-and-a-half after their supply was contaminated and deemed undrinkable.

He said: “Despite regular sampling, servicing and maintenance of the borehole pump, filtration system and equipment, Glentarkie Steading residents have experienced significant water quality issues in the past.

“This includes one event where residents were without a wholesome supply of drinking water for a period of 18 months ... following receipt of a ‘Do Not Drink’ notice from PKC environmental health. During that time residents were reliant on purchased bottled water.

“Past problems have included surface water run-off and snow melt inundation from farmland above the storage tank; additionally vermin baiting, animal encroachment and human activity on third party land adjacent have been encountered.

“Conditions on planning applications for development approved nearby ... have not been complied with or monitored by the planning authority.

“Cumulatively, these experiences have given rise to a natural apprehension about further changes on land immediately adjacent.”

Mr Dimeck continued: “A new septic tank with ground soakaway is proposed to be sited within 50m of the borehole and its below-ground drinking water storage tank. The borehole and its supply tank are receptors vulnerable to environmental change.

“The physical works of development, and the use of land now proposed, are a potential contaminant source. The close proximity of the application site and those works offer a pathway for potential contaminants.”

Correspondence published online by PKC shows Mr Alexander opted to withdraw his application to relocate the driving centre’s reception last week although his reasons for doing so remain unclear.

Physical works and the use of land now proposed, are a potential contaminant Garry Dimeck