By Eric Nicolson

KINROSS-SHIRE COUNCILLORS Willie Robertson and Mike Barnacle have appealed for the local authority’s planning department to upgrade Kinross town centre to transform its image which is on a “downward spiral.”

The pair have submitted a joint letter to head of planning at Perth and Kinross Council, Roland Bean, requesting that Kinross be considered for a streetscape environmental programme. The Kinross-shire Partnership is supporting the bid.

Mr Robertson explained yesterday, “In recent years Perth and Kinross Council have invested heavily in Kinross with monies spent on upgrading our industrial estate and parks, but the centre of the town has not been touched and is now badly in need of investment.

“Kinross centre is a conservation area with many fine buildings and original streets which need attention.

“The opening of the first sections of the Loch Leven Heritage Trail and the major park improvements has led to many more visitors coming to Kinross. We want our main street to reflect the quality of these attractions.”

This sentiment was backed by Mr Barnacle, who pointed out, “Perth and Kinross Council has won numerous awards for the environmental works carried out in other parts of the council area.

“It is time that Kinross was considered for such work. We realise that it may take some time to get plans and funding in place so we must start now before the link road between Station Road and Bridgend Industrial Estate is completed.”

Chairman of the Kinross-shire Partnership, Ewen Cathcart, added, “The Kinross-shire Partnership is very keen to see improvements to the streetscape of Kinross town and fully support this initiative.

“We work hard to encourage people to come and visit Kinross-shire and enjoy the tremendous opportunities we have here for work and play.

“We see an upgrade to the town centre as vital in helping us best promote Kinross-shire and achieve our objectives.”

Mr Cathcart said that the Kinross-shire Partnership would also be writing to the council in support of the letter from councillors Robertson and Barnacle.

In their letter to Mr Bean, the Kinross-shire councillors express their concern at the many “garish” properties that now exist in the town centre.

It reads, “Kinross town centre is a conservation area, though you would not think this from the appearance of some of the buildings.

“Commercial premises have been painted garish colours without planning consent and windows and doors have been changed also without obtaining the correct permissions.

“We are keen to stop this apparent downward spiral. We are aware that it might take some time for a plan to be drawn up and funding to be found but we think now is the time to start.

“We know that the link road from Station Road to the Bridgend Industrial Estate will be completed in the future—there is £1,000,000 in the council’s capital budget to help bring this about—so we would like there to be a plan and funding in place to maximise the benefits the link road will bring to Kinross High Street.”