Sir, Perth City Market Trust (PCMT) has produced an excellent and persuasive brochure outlining their plans to reuse Perth City Hall.
If they had any sense at all, Perth and Kinross Council would support this scheme. Their mad desire to demolish this historic, listed building in a central, conservation area, to create a second rate little square, is nonsensical.
A recent survey by EventsScotland found that almost 70% of 2012 events surveyed were “adversely affected by the weather”. Most of these experienced reduced attendances, increased costs, increased site reinstatement costs and increased financial risks and delays.
Why then spend millions of pounds to knock down a splendid old building that would give protection from the elements and ensure continual use to regenerate Perth, only to create a space totally at the mercy of the weather?
Why is this council the judge and jury of development plans when they are against any reuse?
The architects who have envisioned the sensitive renovation of the hall are to be congratulated, as are PCMT for their vision and public spirit.
I have lived in Perth for nine years now and I share with many the feeling that it is in decline.
The fate of the City Hall is a “make or break” situation for the city.
Robert Booth. Simpson Place, Perth.
Trees do not renew that fast
Sir, John Letford has been misled (Courier, April 23). Although, technically speaking, importing and burning nearly a million tonnes of trees every year is “renewable” any ordinary person can see that it is not. Trees don’t renew that fast.
Burning trees emits more CO2 than coal. What’s more, Forth Energy’s proposed plant is only half as efficient as it should be. As for jobs, the 40 jobs in the plant could very likely be matched by the loss of jobs in the tourism industry.
We, the public, would be subsidising this monstrosity to the tune of £66 million every year. No thank you.
Mary Henderson. 36 Luke Place, Broughty Ferry.
Be happy with what you have
Sir, I noticed that there is dissatisfaction (understandable, perhaps farming, April 25) with future CAP allocation for livestock producers. There is a claim that rural communities will be “driven down the road of self determination”.
Take care on this one. As far as I am aware, the SNP government has said nothing about post independence subsidies for our farming industry. The country may not become automatically a member of the EU.
Self determination could quickly become self reliance, with all its implications.
Be happy with what you are getting, meantime.
A T Geddie. 68 Carleton Avenue, Glenrothes.
Pavement crackdown?
Sir, I hope the move of enforcement of parking regulations to Fife Council will result in a crackdown on the now almost standard practice of parking on the pavement. Disabled and elderly people and young mothers with babies and toddlers, are regularly forced into fast moving streams of traffic by selfish drivers.
Laurie Richards. 100 Crail Road, Cellardyke.
Other nations just ignore it
Sir, The Government’s official Climate Change Committee (CCC) has reported that the UK’s carbon footprint has actually grown by 10% not reduced by 20%.
The reason given was that the government (conveniently or deliberately) ignored imports.
Ministers have frequently and patronisingly claimed leadership in reducing CO2 emissions and urged other nations to follow. We have been told a pack of lies and the billions of pounds spent on renewables since 1970 has been squandered.
Tim Yeo MP, chairman of the Energy and Climate Change select committee, used the argument that Britain could team up with China to combat climate change.
A nation of 65 million influencing the largest nation in the world with 1.3 billion people? Is this the same China that is opening up one new coal-fired plant every week? China is ravenous for energy and coal is top of their agenda.
Germany is due to open six more coal powered stations and 27 gas-fired plants in 2013.
So other nations ignore emission reduction targets and grow their economies whilst the UK spends money we do not have on a global warming problem, which does not exist.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Problem solved
Sir, If Fife Council wants to save £6 million on the education of our children why don’t they ask the Chancellor to divert the increase being given to the royal family this year (15% of the income from the crown estates, which are owned by the people). By a strange coincidence this amounts to £6 million.
If they are really serious about us all being in this together it shouldn’t be a problem. They could struggle along with the vast amounts they currently get and our children will receive an uncurtailed education, which is their right.
Alister Rankin. 93 Whyterose Terrace, Methil, Leven.