A community council chairman has expressed his concern at the scale of housing developments proposed for the city of Perth.
Kenny Simpson, chairman of Methven and District Community Council, was reacting to the revised proposal for the ambitious multi-million-pound Almond Valley scheme.
The 1,400-home development would include a new primary school and leisure facilities, to be built on land between Huntingtowerfield and Ruthvenfield.
Mr Simpson, who is also a member of the Huntingtowerfield and Ruthvenfield conservation group, told The Courier that many people are still “totally” opposed to the Almond Valley plan for west Perth.
He said he has a “big worry” about all the proposed housing developments for Perth.
“It looks like the Bertha Park development will go ahead, the A9/A85 roads improvements will take place and we have the Springfield plan (near the Inveralmond Industrial Estate), Perth West (Broxden/Cherrybank), Oudenarde (Bridge of Earn), plus a housing plan for south of Luncarty,” he said.
“People don’t want to be living in a building site for the next 20 years.
“My big worry is where are all these thousands of people going to come from to fill the houses? Perth has an increasing ageing population and we are looking at thousands of houses through all these plans.
“I also want to know where all the jobs will be for these people who move in to these houses.”
Mr Simpson added that Savills, acting on behalf of Almond Valley developers the Pilkington Trust, has not held a public meeting with the community council.”
Jonathan Henson, head of Savills Rural in Perth, said the firm was “very clear of the need to properly communicate our vision for Almond Valley”.
Community consultation events were held in November and December and there will be another public meeting following the company’s submission to the council at the end of this month, he said, adding: “The need to provide new homes in Perth has already been established. Almond Valley would be developed in phases so that the zones for housing will be protected by bands of woodland. This will ensure construction is obscured wherever possible.”