Community seething at ‘surprise’ sewage works on doorstep

Craigie residents complain of ‘sea of mud’ at play park

Perth residents have expressed anger over “surprise” sewage works.

People in the city’s Craigie area say they were not warned about major pipeline work which has turned sections of a popular children’s play park into a “sea of mud”.

Contractors drafted in by Bellway Homes pitched up at the Darnhall Crescent site to begin work on a series of underground improvements.

The operation, which is expected to last for several weeks, is needed to increase sewage capacity for new homes in and around Glasgow Road, Cherrybank and Craigie.

Lib Dem councillor Willie Wilson, who was contacted by several residents, said: “There was no consultation whatsoever with the local community and that is completely unacceptable.

“Large parts of the play park are out of action due to work and the whole area is a virtual sea of mud.”

He said: “While the area has been well fenced off, it is very intrusive on the local community. The least that could have been done is for local folk to have been told of the work in advance, the reasons for it and how long it would take. None of this action has been taken.”

Father-of-two Graham McLaren, 33, said: “It was a bit of surprise when all these diggers turned up.

“The noise of the work has sometimes been unbearable and nobody round here had a clue what was happening.”

A Bellway Homes spokeswoman said: “The play area itself is within an existing housing development and the local authority has responsibility for the park.

“We were required to give the council five days’ notice before starting our work, which we did.”

She said: “We will need to link the new system to the old, and an odour may be present at this point but we expect this to be minimal and to only last a short number of hours at most.

“The works themselves will take approximately two weeks, followed by a period of time for returfing the area.

“Allowing for adverse weather, we expect to be complete within a month.

“We will then be required to contact the local authority, who will then decide when they are happy to take the fencing down and allow access to the area once again.”

The noise of the work has sometimes been unbearable and nobody round here had a clue what was happening. GRAHAM MCLAREN

Picture: Kim Cessford. Councillor Willie Wilson has been contacted by angry residents over upgrades to sewage treatment pipes under the play park at Darnhall Crescent, Perth.