Demand to repair wall

Councillors are to hear a petition this week seeking repairs to a collapsed wall in Dunblane which has been cordoned off for over two years.

The wall separates a section of pavement at Ledcameroch on the B8033 Perth Road in the town from private land.

However, the company which owns the land, County Property Developments Ltd, has been dissolved and council officials say there is no way to contact the landowner to have them undertake the repairs.

The patience of locals, however, is running out and now a petition is due before Stirling Council’s environment and housing committee tomorrow (Thursday) asking the council to step.

In a submission on behalf of the petitioners, Dunblane man Frederick Trott said the current position was “unacceptable”, particularly to residents living in the area who were“fed up”looking at the barriers.

He added:“There is also the issue of a public right of way which has been blocked for over two years and also that the wall is an ongoing health and safety issue to pedestrians and vehicles that pass by it.”

The petitioners wants the council to revisit the issue and find funding to repair the wall and investigate the possibility of seeking redress from the current or future owners.

“After speaking with a landscape contractor,” said Mr Trott,“I do not believe it would cost £40,000 to repair the wall, more like £10,000 as a very rough estimate.”

In their report, however, Stirling Council officers say the authority only has a responsibility to safeguard road users, not to maintain the wall.

They said:“The information available at this time suggests there is no registered keeper of the land and boundary wall due to the dissolution of the company County Property Developments Ltd, therefore there is no ability to contact the landowner to have them undertake repair.”

They added that if the wall became an imminent danger the council would forego serving a notice and would carry out the required works to make the wall safe.

However, this would only entail dismantling approximately 40 metres of the wall – at an estimated cost of around £3000 – and placing the stone within the adjoining land.