PERTH AND Kinross Council is to oppose multi-million pound plans to build houses and a business park at a prominent site on the A90 Perth to Dundee road.

Scotia Homes and James Farquharson have lodged proposals to have 50 homes and a retail industrial park with hotel at the Horn Farm, Errol.

The plan will include 13 affordable houses, and the separate proposal for the roadside facilities includes a retail unit, business units, light industrial units and a hotel.

The land is situated to the south of The Horn Milk Bar.

Dundee City Council has objected to the industrial park on the grounds that it is contrary to the development plan and Scottish planning policy.

Errol and Inchture community councils are also against the move, with members saying there is sufficient capacity and room for expansion on other more appropriate sites within the area.

The application for the retail industrial park includes a 60-bedroomed hotel, but Ian Sleith, head of development standards with Perth and Kinross Council, has set out his reasons for opposing it.

He said, “The two primary issues in the consideration of this application are whether the expansion of the site area is acceptable and whether the additional uses, especially the retail and industrial/business elements, are appropriate land uses for this site.

“I note that the site has failed to secure a potential operator for the roadside services which has resulted in the proposal never proceeding past the outline stage. All the additional proposed uses are contrary to the Perth area local plan 1995.”

He continued, “Some economic justification has been submitted from the applicant, primarily based on the positive impact the proposal may have on the local economy and the tourism industry of the Carse of Gowrie.

“However, I am not persuaded that these merit a significant departure from the development plan.

“The plan raises issues of concern in relation to its impact on other tourist-related retail facilities at Tullibardine, House of Bruar, Castle Menzies and Caithness Glass in Perth, all of which are important visitor and tourist attractions.”

Mr Sleith also recommends refusal of the plan to build 50 houses on the central green area at the rear of the site.

He highlights concerns by Perth and Kinross Council’s children and education services, which are anxious about the capacity at Errol Primary School if the plan were approved.

He said, “This site is neither within a settlement or a zoned area, and the approval of a new housing development at this location would be unsustainable, unacceptable and could have a significant detrimental impact on the Carse of Gowrie.

“A development of this size is not envisaged within rural areas. This all but highlights the inappropriate nature of this development in this location.”

Both proposals will be discussed by Perth and Kinross Council’s development control committee tomorrow.