The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Councillor attacks ‘hellish’ developer
Persimmon Homes’ conduct at Lathro Farm site criticised
One of Britain’s largest housebuilders has been dubbed “the developer from hell” by a Perth and Kinross councillor.
Councillor Willie Robertson called on Persimmon Homes to be blacklisted from lodging future planning applications with the authority for “flouting” previous conditions.
The row blew up after the company worked on its Lathro Farm site between Kinross and Milnathort out of hours without permission.
“I am astonished that a publicly listed company can display such an attitude,” said Mr Robertson who claimed this was the latest in a long list of serious complaints. The council is to serve a formal enforcement action on the firm.
One of the UK’s largest housebuilding firms has been dubbed the “developer from hell” following a row over housing in Kinross.
Councillors are now calling for swift action to be taken to curb the activities of Persimmon Homes.
One elected member has even demanded that the firm be “blacklisted” from lodging future applications.
Tensions have been running high for months between the community in Kinross and Persimmon, with locals claiming the company has continually ignored planning conditions.
Matters came to a head when the company continued working out of hours on its Lathro Meadows site despite not having permission.
“This latest breach in planning conditions is just one in a long line on both the Persimmon sites in Kinross,” said local councillor Willie Robertson.
“As a company, they appear to have a total disregard for both planning conditions set by the planning authority or to the effect their actions have on the quality of life of those unfortunate enough to live close to one of their building sites.”
Mr Robertson said other complaints he had received included dust, mud on roads and heavy construction traffic on unsuitable residential streets.
He went on: “We have all heard stories about the neighbours from hell, Persimmon appear to be the developers from hell.”
He suggested that, if it were possible, the council should blacklist the firm from lodging future planning applications “until such time they were able to prove that they would treat conditions seriously”.
Fellow councillor Callum Purves added: “Local residents are rightly very angry that developers have continually been able to flout the conditions that were attached to their planning consent.”
The council said it had been asked by Persimmon to allow weekend working but this was declined as there wasn’t enough time to inform local people.
“As this is not the first time we have had to contact the developer about a breach to planning conditions, the council is preparing formal enforcement action to serve on Persimmon Homes,” said a spokesperson.
Iain Innes, managing director at Perth-based Persimmon Homes North Scotland, apologised for any disturbance to local residents by working over a weekend but did not elaborate on why it was carried out without permission.
“We are in the business of building quality new homes and we work hard to cause as little disruption to the local community as is possible, but site traffic and some construction noise is inevitable,” he said in a statement.