An in principle application for a major development which it is claimed will “showcase Perth on the national stage” has been approved.
The southern half of the Perth West masterplan comprising of shops, hotels, a school, healthcare centre, the Perth Eco-Innovation Park and up to 1500 homes has been approved.
The development is predicted to bring 2300 jobs plus 3000 temporary construction jobs to the Fair City.
Perth and Kinross Council ’s planning and development management committee scrutinised the masterplan for the 257-hectare site when it met virtually on Tuesday, June 1.
The development includes: up to 1500 homes; business units; shops; food and drinks outlets; hotels; a primary school; healthcare centre; bus depot; car park; Perth Innovation Highway; vehicle fuelling/charging centre; a new A9 junction; A9 Broxden underpass and road network, as well footways and cycle paths.
It will be built over three phases.
The first phase will involve the development of around 278 homes, 11 hectares of commercial development and the proposed Perth Eco-Innovation Park.
The 26-hectare Perth Eco-Innovation Park will host a grouping of businesses within the energy, logistics and mobility sectors co-located with academic institutions, to form a ‘knowledge hub’.
The Perth Innovation Highway will form part of this connecting Perth to the A9 with £5 million of funding committed from the Tay Cities Deal.
Alexander Dewar made a deputation to the committee on behalf of the applicant John Dewar Lamberkin Trust saying Perth West would help the region in its recovery from COVID-19.
He said: “At the core of this project is people and place.
“It will meet the needs of the community now and in the future.”
He added: “It is a project that will make a significant contribution to the quality of life, skills and career opportunities in Perth and surrounding communities and will showcase Perth on a national stage.”
The development will extend Perth’s boundary on the western edge across the A9 and beyond the Broxden roundabout.
Concern was raised about traffic at the meeting.
Dr Crawford Reid - who represents the Strathallan ward - asked for clarity about a planning condition which states: “No development shall commence until appropriate mitigation measures have been agreed to address the impact of the development at the Broxden Roundabout on the A9 trunk road.”
The Conservative councillor asked if PKC could ensure the mitigation measures were done prior to work on the development starting.
Senior planning officer Jamie Scott said the planning condition was agreed in consultation with Transport Scotland.
He said Transport Scotland might ask the applicant - John Dewar Lamberkin Trust - to make financial contributions to mitigation measures at Broxden and that would be for them to pursue rather than PKC.
Dr Reid said: “Broxden is a nightmare - as we all know - and to put money to Transport Scotland you can just see it disappearing into a black hole.
“We need to hold their feet to the fire over this and get this sorted out but that’s maybe for another day.”
A total of 13 representations were made to PKC in response to the application, including one from Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHET) concerning the impact on the electricity infrastructure and existing wayleaves.
Conservative councillor Ian James asked for more detail on the issues raised by SHET.
Senior planning officer Mr Scott said he thought the issues concerned existing infrastructure in the locality - such as pylons and underground cables - that may need to be relocated.
He said it was “not strictly speaking a planning matter” and was for the landowner and SHET to come to an agreement as to what would need to be done but he thought SHET may just want to ensure there is no prejudicial impact on their infrastructure.
Conservative Strathearn councillor and committee convener Roz McCall motioned for approval saying the development had been “talked about for many years” and was “an excellent idea”.
Conservative Strathtay councillor Ian James seconded saying: “We need it going forward.
“We are ever expanding and this has everything we would want as a city.”
Perth City South Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Wilson tabled an amendment saying he was not against the principles of the development.
But he expressed “grave concerns” there were no material considerations to depart from green belt policy in the local development plan.
He said the proposed A9 underpass at Tweed Place were “completely unacceptable” on the grounds of residential amenity.
Cllr Wilson also expressed concerns about flooding.
During the meeting a PKC flooding technician told Cllr Wilson that PKC and SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) would have to be satisfied there would be no increased flood risk downstream from this site at more detailed planning stages.
On Tuesday councillors were simply approving the plans in principle.
Putting forward his amendment Cllr Wilson said: “I am unconvinced still about the flood risk situation.”
He added: “Residents today are sitting almost quaking in their shoes wondering what is going to happen if we approve this today.”
Conservative Kinross-shire councillor Michael Barnacle seconded Cllr Wilson’s amendment to refuse the application.
Planning permission (in principle) was granted by eight votes to four.
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