Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – I noticed with some interest your article ”Action group fighting to protect Kinross park” (April 5).
The action group is fighting to prevent the construction of a road through Davis Park, a worthy cause indeed.
However, as the developer, it has never been our intention to construct a new road through the park, but to upgrade the existing access road.
In addition we are looking at enhancing play equipment in the park, which will be of considerable benefit to the local community, as well as providing an additional park in our proposed residential development, which will be accessible to local residents.
It is our intention to develop 125 much-needed family houses adjacent to the park.
Kinross-shire requires the delivery of 70 houses a year to address forecast demand, and our development will go some way to assisting with this.
It would be serviced by a single access, and while we recognise the concerns of residents over the potential impact, it will be built in compliance with the highest health and safety standards.
I am glad to have this opportunity to put the local community’s mind at rest on this issue and we look forward to meeting with them to address any concerns they may have.
Jason Wallace.Wallace Land,18 S1 Forth Street,Edinburgh.
Concern over radioactive materials
Sir, – Radioactive materials are to be transported by train the full length of Scotland, from Dounreay to Sellafield by train.
These consignments will contain materials suitable for being used in the production of nuclear weapons.
Fifty journeys are proposed. For security reasons the times of the trains will be kept secret.
While armed guards may be all that would have been appropriate in the 1980s, in 2012 there are far bigger dangers.
While in the past a tree on the track causing a derailment might have been considered the biggest danger, nowadays there is the threat of explosives being placed on the line.
While a nuclear explosion would not of course occur, there is a strong likelihood of widespread radioactive contamination.
Another concern is whether the scarcely-used rail line from Caithness to Inverness is fit to take this cargo.
The materials concerned are those left over from the Dounreay Fast Breeder Reactor which closed in 1977.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is anxious to get these to Cumbria as soon as possible, as the Magnox reprocessing plant there is due to close in 2016/2017.
The reprocessing planned will cause further pollution of the Irish Sea and disperse radioactivity throughout the environment.
Why is reprocessing of spent fuel to extract plutonium still being done, considering there are huge amounts of plutonium already around which will never be used and could simply be classed as waste?
The answer is a simple one. If it is reclassified as waste, it will become a liability on the Treasury’s books.
John S Jappy.Moy Bridge Cottage,Muir of Ord.
Support for Earth Hour
Sir, – I would like to say a big thank you to your readers for helping to make this year’s WWF’s Earth Hour the most memorable yet.
On Saturday, March 31, thousands of Scots united with hundreds of millions of people in a record 150 countries and territories across the world in switching off their lights for an hour to show they care about the impact climate change is having on people and nature.
This record support for Earth Hour should act as a reminder to those seeking votes in next month’s local elections that the public cares about the environment and climate change and want their elected representatives to play a role in delivering solutions.
We look forward to seeing action from the successful candidates and the continued support from your readers for these vital issues.
Dr Richard Dixon,Director, WWF Scotland.Little Dunkeld,Perthshire.
An unwelcome proliferation of supermarkets
Sir, – I join with your other correspondents to condemn the proliferation of supermarkets on the outskirts of Perth, especially those which adjoin the Crieff Road.
While the sad sight of more and more empty shops renders the centre of Perth less and less attractive to shoppers and tourists, narrow and twisting Crieff Road is already heavily congested.
There are already too many supermarkets and garden centres bordering Crieff Road and, even before they arrived, the presence of a school, a college, a football ground and many houses along its length was already more than enough for the inadequate road to cope with.
Further into town, Dunkeld Road is already struggling to accommodate the increasingly heavy load of traffic heading towards Crieff Road, industrial and housing estates, car dealerships and elsewhere.
If more out-of-town supermarkets are necessary, which I dispute, then the Crieff Road is the last place to put them.
George K McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Beware the rise of the ‘cybernat’
Sir, – I was amused by Stuart Allan’s attempt at defending the online activities of SNP activists (Saturday, April 7).
The harsh reality is that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon spend much of their time proclaiming they ”love thou neighbour” while their supporters are busy re-enacting Bannockburn on the web.
If the term ”cybernat” ever makes it into the Oxford English Dictionary I would suggest it be defined as ”a vitriolic creature who infests the internet with vindictive and divisive comments which display a chip on his/her shoulder the size of the Grand Canyon”.
Gordon Adam.Downiemill Farm,Newbigging.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.