A Carse of Gowrie grain firm has lodged an objection against an ambitious multi-million housing plan for Errol, claiming the development would lead to householders complaining about their business.
Tayside Grain Company Ltd at Errol want to stop Morris Leslie’s planned scheme that would see 240 homes built, including 60 affordable houses, on the 58 hectare site at Errol Airfield.
The local authority granted planning permission in principle back in October 2010 for a mixed use development at the site.
The plans were lodged in June but Tayside Grain has lodged an objection, based on two “material concerns.”
The company claims the plans show the houses will be located “almost immediately” beside the boundary of the grain company’s agricultural operations.
In an objection lodged with the council, the firm’s solicitors state: “The primary concern for our clients is that previous applications for this site included either a significant area of green belt to separate the new development from our clients’ site, or envisaged that the immediately adjoining land would be utilised for commercial development as part of the wider development.
“The most recent drawings suggest that there will be residential housing located almost immediately adjoining the boundary of our clients’ agricultural operations. The limited planting that is shown would provide little or no buffering between the two areas in the short to medium term.”
The letter continues: “The nature of our clients’ operation is such that it creates both dust and noise and that can occur on a 24-hour basis at certain times of the year.
“Consent was recently granted for a new grain storage shed with additional grain drying equipment and that will only serve to increase the level of activity on our clients’ site going forward.”
The solicitors claim Tayside Grain Company Ltd currently receive no objections to their operation but suggest “it is patently obvious” that the impact on adjoining residential properties would be “considerably greater” if the plan gets the green light from the council.
“The risk of complaints would be significantly increased,” the document adds.
“Our clients provide a valuable service to a large number of local farmers and based on the time critical nature of their business, it is imperative they are able to continue to operate as they have done for many years.
“The proposed layout does not take account of adjoining uses therefore our clients believe the application should be rejected.”
The firm is also concerned about proposed access arrangements to the new development, which the latter claim are “woefully inadequate” for the likely level of increased traffic.
A spokesperson said: “Noise from various sources will be taken into account during the planning application process.
“If a noise assessment shows that any houses would be affected by noise from the grain drying plant, then the design would be changed to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Measures that can be used to reduce noise between the houses and the noise source could include a landscaped bund or mound, an acoustic fence, an offset between the houses and noise source, or a combination of all three.
“The planning process is designed to ensure that these problems don’t arise, so the neighbour has no cause for objection at this stage.”
