Councillors approved contentious plans for a major new housing development in one of Blairgowrie’s most prestigious residential areas.
A total of 89 new homes will be built by Millar Homes on agricultural land by the side of the Coupar Angus Road, which forms a transition between Blairgowrie and Rosemount.
Among them will be 22 affordable units, in a mix of semi-detached houses, terraces and flats, which will be offered for social rent and low-cost home ownership by the Hillcrest Housing Association.
Dozens of objections were received from residents over whether the design and layout of the development is appropriate, while the local community council has also expressed concern.
Neighbours said the affordable housing element will be unpopular and out of character with what is a fairly well-off area.
It is accepted that the housing mix, meanwhile, is not reflected in the existing properties surrounding the development site, which features very few flats or terraced homes and very few of more than one-storey in the immediate vicinity.
The council’s development quality manager Nick Brian, however, insists the application is “appropriate” for the site and believes the affordable housing element is “all important in order to achieve a balanced and mixed development catering for a wide range of housing opportunity.”
Perth and Kinross Council’s development control committee was told there is a burning need for affordable and rented housing in the Blairgowrie area.
At present, there are 302 people awaiting a home who have selected Blairgowrie as their first choice, yet there were just 15 vacancies made available in the year up to the end of 2010.
Committee members were moved to agree the plans, backing the design and layout by a vote of seven to three.Previous plan rejectedA previous plan for the site was lodged in 1990 and was refused as the land was zoned for agricultural use and an appeal dismissed a year later.
However, an outline application for a residential development was granted in February last year.
While that was not challenged by residents, spokesperson Deirdre McVean yesterday said local people had a number of concerns about the detailed plans before the committee and claimed residents believed their opinions were being ignored.
“This is a highly-desirable area in which to live,” she told councillors. “There are no terraced homes or flats most local homes are on a single storey and we do not consider they are acceptable.
“These types of houses are incompatible with the local area. Moreover, the housing density is too high at 18.9 homes per hectare, when the local average is just 8.1 homes per hectare.
“The development is simply out of scale for this area.”
Ms McVean said the developers should go back to the drawing board and her view was shared by councillors Liz Grant, Callum Gillies and Bob Band.
Mrs Grant told colleagues, “This is an extremely-sensitive site within Blairgowrie and I believe that this development is out of character. The density of the properties is considerably in excess of the surrounding area and the design is also very different.”
Committee convener Willie Wilson, however, moved that the application be approved, saying, “I acknowledge that this is an open field at the moment and that it has been for some time, but it is also a very well-contained site.
“While there is a substantial difference in the density when compared to the surrounding housing I do not consider that it is unacceptable.
“There have been concerns raised about the mix of affordable, rented and private housing, but there are many examples in Perth and Kinross of affordable cheek-by-jowl with private. We have all acknowledged that there is a demand for affordable housing in the Blairgowrie area.”