A new all-weather football pitch will be laid in Perth’s Letham area despite a last-minute plea by residents.
The pitch will be laid by Letham Football Club at its Seven Acres home following a lengthy fundraising drive.
A group of locals were vehemently opposed to the venture, claiming they are ”terrified” it will attract vandalism and other anti-social behaviour, as well as noise and light pollution.
Their pleas before Perth and Kinross Council’s development control committee failed to sway members however and the plan was given unanimous approval.
With £700,000 raised through its own activities and from Scottish Government and Gannochy Trust grants, Letham FC will now be able to press ahead with its ambitious plans.
A grass pitch at the south of the extensive site will be torn up and replaced with the synthetic surface.
A new footpath will be laid between Balgowan Road and Newhouse Road while a woodland trail and car park are also planned.
The committee said the project could only go ahead if a traffic management plan was put in place and imposed a 9pm closure each night an hour earlier than wanted.
The defeated locals slammed the decision, stating it will make their lives a ”misery”.
Huntingtower Crescent resident Chris Ealey (60) said: ”They have a 25-year lease and it is condemning senior citizens to a retirement of misery, for the rest of their lives.
”We’ve got a predominantly retired community and we’re already having problems with anti-social behaviour. I thought this council was supposed to be looking after the elderly, but that’s not happening here.”
Neighbour Helen Waugh said the fenced-in structure and path will be a magnet for unruly youths, who already plague the area.
She said: ”No one has addressed the anti-social behaviour issue in any depth it will happen after the lights go out, late at night.
”It’s happening just now and I’m convinced it will get worse because the fence is going to drive these people closer to our homes.”
Local councillor John Flynn said he is pleased to see the development but sided with the residents over their fears.
He said: ”The nature trail could be a haven for underage drinkers and vandals and I urge the club to take this seriously and come up with a way for the area to be policed to help people in Huntingtower Crescent who have invested money in their homes.”
Jim Sorrell, speaking for Letham FC was delighted the vote went their way.
He said: ”Last weekend was the perfect demonstration of the need to develop new facilities. The ground was waterlogged which resulted in Letham’s Scottish Cup game being rearranged and other members of the public not being able to use the park either.
”This will be targeted directly at children and young people from the local community ” in one of the most disadvantaged communities in Scotland. It is a much-needed sports facility at the heart of the community that needs it most.”
He said the ability to rent the pitch by the hour on weekday evenings is essential to raise revenue for its upkeep, including replacing the surface every eight years, and to hire two full time staff to manage it.
A separate application for a three-year temporary permission to house changing facilities and a cafe in the existing huts was also granted.
Mr Sorrell said it is hoped funding for a permanent building could be found within that period and a further planning application will be submitted then.