A Crieff resident has claimed that Morrison’s Academy’s new sports facilities could be built on land prone to flooding with sewage.
The school has submitted plans for two all-weather pitches with associated fencing, floodlighting and car parking facilities at Dallerie.
The proposals are expected to be backed by members of Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee on Wednesday.
However, the resident, who lives next to the proposed development, says that heavy rain floods the area and overloads a nearby sewerage system, with the resulting mess covering sections planned for the new pitches.
The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “This week in particular the whole place has been a quagmire. It floods all the time when there is heavy rain.
“There is a lade that runs up the side of the park that doesn’t belong to Morrison’s and this pipe is where all the sewage comes out as it’s not big enough to take it.
“When there is heavy rain, this overflows and there is nowhere else to go but on to Morrison’s playing fields.
“Two to three days after there has been raw sewage on the pitch I have seen children playing rugby down there.”
The council has received 16 letters of objection to the plans, most from residents concerned that the proposed site forms the flood plain for the Turret Burn.
A report by the council’s development quality manager Nick Brian said the site is low lying and can be liable to flooding but that would not necessarily restrict their use during bad weather.
Crieff Community Council welcomed the proposal but has raised concerns over parking and vehicle access.
The community council is also concerned that the plans propose to use Taylor Park car park as an overspill for the new Dallerie pitches.
In recommending the plan, Mr Brian concluded: “Whilst I note the proposal has attracted a number of representations objecting to the proposal, this proposal is ultimately for the upgrade and improvement of an existing recreational facility to a standard which would offer a modern, fit-for-purpose outdoor facility, principally for Morrison’s Academy but also for the wider local community of Crieff.”