Sir, With regard to the proposal for 250 more houses on Kinnoull Hill, this time in the grounds of Murray Royal Hospital, I seem to remember previous councils stating there would be no more housing developments allowed on the Scone side of the river until a new bridge and roads had been constructed to take traffic away from the Bridgend and Kinnoull area.
A council spokesman has also said: “The consideration of all planning applications for major housing developments would involve an examination of the potential impact on local infrastructure.”
The council’s previous concern for infrastructure is well illustrated in the Sainsbury’s development on the Crieff Road. We already have too many housing, industrial, sports, educational and commercial developments along that narrow and winding road.
There is already huge congestion at most times of the day. The addition of a Sainsbury’s supermarket will bring gridlock. If that is how the council deals with “the potential impact on infrastructure”, 250 houses will surely appear in Murray Royal grounds before we are very much older!
Apart from the traffic and other chaos involved, one objector put his finger on the most telling point of all when he questioned how NHS Tayside would cope as and when there became a need to expand the current medical facilities.
Murray Royal once had an ideal situation in extensive grounds, with garden, bowling green and nine-hole golf course.
It is now fashionable to treat patients in the community using drugs and out-patient clinics. There are already signs of a rethink, with more emphasis on in-hospital treatment and the need for more locked wards.
What will the NHS bosses do when they finally see the error of their ways and want to replace the accommodation they once had at Murray Royal, Murthly and Sunny-side?
New sites, new buildings and new recreational facilities will cost them a fortune, when they already have most of the old hospital buildings and grounds still available for present and future use! No houses, please!
George K McMillan. 5 Mount Tabor Avenue, Perth.
What is world coming to?
Sir, I read with disgust that the soldiers serving our country are not having as good a Christmas as the prisoners in the Scottish prisons. What is the world coming to when people who break the law are better treated then those soldiers serving our country? The powers that be should be ashamed of them- selves.
Carol Donaghy. Drumgrain Terrace, Methven.
What about healthy diet?
Sir, We have government gurus continually preaching the virtues of a healthy diet to us. We also have government reports telling us about the good health that the better-off enjoy compared to those who are less fortunate, so what do the SNP government offer to prisoners at Christmas time?
Yes, healthy soups, turkey veg and trimmings, fresh fruit but also a cholesterol charged brunch, pot noodles, cup soups, crisps, chocolate biscuits, cake, chocolate bars, sausage rolls, cola etc.
Maybe this is just seen as party food and an occasional treat, which is fine, but if this is a reflection of the regular prison diet, then perhaps it’s time to send round someone from the Department of Health.
Alan Kennedy. 55 Newton Crescent, Carnoustie.
All down to economics
Sir, The dreadful news regarding the poisoning of another golden eagle in Angus (December 20), is the second such offence recently after a poisoned buzzard was also discovered in Stirlingshire. This marks a dreadful and embarrassing end to the year of Natural Scotland after the golden eagle was voted the nation’s favourite bird.
The public may be confused as to why the persecution of birds of prey continues despite the threat of ever stiffer penalties. The reason is simply economics; to generate artificially and unnatural surpluses of red grouse for shooting, gamekeepers must eradicate all “vermin” including hares, crows, foxes, stoats, weasels, badgers and legally protected birds of prey.
If this were to cease, driven grouse moors would no longer be viable, so the killing has to continue and is why shooting estates are terrified of the threat of licencing.
It also explains why the hen harrier and golden eagle are virtually extinct on driven grouse moors in the east.
Logan D Steele. 40 Bridgewater Avenue, Auchterarder.
A cull is long overdue
Sir, The scandal, verging on criminality, where members of the House of Lords clock in to qualify for £300 a day allowance and immediately leave prompted me to look at the number of politicians we employ.
House of Lords 836, MEPs 78, MPs 650, MSPs 129, Welsh Assembly 60 and Northern Ireland 108.
It gets worse.
There are more than 24,000 local councillors.
If one then adds in all the “hangers on”, support staff, expenses, office space, non-jobs and gold-plated pensions one can see we are haemorrhaging taxpayers’ money.
The UK is the most over-governed country in the world and a cull is long overdue.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.