Fresh plans to build hundreds of homes on the outskirts of Perth have led to worries about over-development.
An ambitious bid to transform about 150 acres of vacant land at Huntingtower will be unveiled to the public later this month.
Developers want to create a major new housing estate at West Mains, as well as business units, a park and ride facility and possibly a new primary school.
But the multi-million-pound scheme has prompted fears that Perth won’t be able to cope with more new housing.
The West Mains site is close to the controversial 1,300 home Almond Valley estate, which was approved on appeal last year despite widespread opposition from residents.
Now the same community which fought those plans is facing a new battle.
Ken Simpson, chairman of the Methven and District Community Council, said: “We are aware there is a public exhibition about these plans and we will be interested to find out more.
“At this stage, we haven’t put forward a formal complaint but I have written to the council, urging them to be wary about approving more plans for housing.
“We’ve now got 1,300 homes going up and Almond Valley and another 3,000 at Bertha Park,” he said.
“If there was jobs and work for all of these new people it wouldn’t be a problem, but the truth is that Perth simply doesn’t have the employment opportunities to support all of this new housing.
“People here are now facing the prospect of being surrounded by construction sites for the next 20 years or so.
“We are seeing all the villages and communities around the city becoming an extension of Perth, losing their character and identity.
“We are asking Perth and Kinross Council to think very carefully about what all of these new housing estates are doing to the area.”
Although the number of houses planned has not been specified, the West Mains site is listed in the Local Development Plan as being suitable for a maximum of 550 houses with employment space and/or a primary school.
Developers M&SM Bullough and A Ritchie and Son will share their vision at a public exhibition in Huntingtower Hotel on Thursday, January 26 from 2.30pm to 7pm.
Feedback from the session will be used when drawing up an application for planning permission, due to be submitted in the new year.
No one from the development team was available to discuss the proposal.
A masterplan for the site area was developed following design workshops in 2015. The sessions were attended by more than 100 residents and concluded that the site would be suitable for a mixture of housing and employment space.
