Perth and Kinross Council may come under pressure in 2025 to rethink its plan to build a new leisure centre in Perth city centre.
In September, councillors voted 20 to 18 in favour of erecting the facility at the Thimblerow Car Park.
The project will include an eight-lane swimming pool.
But it has been criticised as it will not include the leisure water currently offered at Perth Leisure Pool.
The Courier revealed details of a draft timetable for the Thimblerow facility that would reduce children’s leisure swimming with features by more than 30 hours a week.
World curling champion David Hay also said he was “bitterly disappointed” with the decision not to include an ice rink in the new centre.
In addition, car parking availability is a serious concern, with Perth set to lose 335 spaces in the scheme.
These fears haven’t been helped by reports of gridlock at Thimblerow in the run-up to Christmas.
More than 2,200 people have signed a petition for the council to rethink the scheme.
And the decision could face further scrutiny in the new year.
Crieff disruption as hotel set for demolition
Crieff’s Drummond Arms Hotel is set to be bulldozed in 2025.
Councillors agreed to take ownership of the run-down landmark at a meeting in November.
Perth and Kinross Council will now seek a building warrant to demolish it, at a cost of up to £3 million.
It comes after a Dangerous Buildings Notice was served on the James Square hotel at the end of October – and the community group which had been working to restore it ran out of money.
Crieff residents are being warned the demolition process will take many months to complete.
It’s not known what will happen to the prominent town centre site next.
One likely option is affordable housing.
Blairgowrie Recreation Centre to open…at last
Blairgowrie’s new recreation centre should finally open in early 2025.
The £36 million venue is now scheduled to open five years later than expected – at twice the original cost.
It will replace the existing 40-year-old centre on the campus of Blairgowrie High School.
And it will boast a mix of indoor and outdoor facilities – including a swimming pool, games halls, dance studio and all-weather pitch.
Blairgowrie Recreation Centre was originally expected to open in 2020.
But the project was hit by a series of delays and funding setbacks.
This date shifted to December 2024, but now it may be on course for a spring 2025 opening.
Live Active Leisure recently released images of the new facility.
Pupils and the wider community will be able to use the facilities.
St Johnstone city centre progress?
St Johnstone’s idea to open a new shop and museum in Perth city centre could make strides in 2025.
Club CEO Fran Smith wants the Saints to take over the old Visit Scotland building on Perth’s High Street to become part of a city centre tourist trail.
The tourist board left its city base in the autumn.
Mr Smith recently told The Courier: “We’ve submitted our note of interest on the shop.
“We’ll soon find out if we are the council’s preferred people to use it.
“Saints in the Community would be taking on the building.
“There will be a museum through the back, a little area up the stairs for community use and a small retail outlet.
“Think about a culture trail – you go into Perth Museum and see the Stone of Destiny, up to the St Johnstone museum and learn about the only club in Perth in the senior leagues.
“Then move over to the Art Gallery.”
The premises were earmarked for £500,000 of funding to turn the site into a showcase for Perthshire food and drink.
But this was dependent on £5m of levelling-up funding from the UK Government, which was withdrawn in October.
Will Saints now make their move to secure the premises?
Luxury Kenmore scheme may move forward
The controversial tycoons behind the Taymouth Castle development will continue their ambitious plans for the area in 2025.
Discovery Land Company has been praised for giving the 19th-century building, near Kenmore, a £100 million facelift.
But its scheme to build 140 luxury homes has been labelled “a private resort for the mega-rich”.
Campaign group Protect Loch Tay was set up to oppose the development.
And it amassed more than 160,000 signatures in an online petition.
But in November it announced it was calling a halt to its work.
Now the US-based landowner has submitted a series of planning applications for permanent estate management accommodation buildings to service the estate.
The staff village would include a commissary building, offices, gym and staff lounge.
The council will decide whether it should be built in woods nearly two miles from Taymouth Castle.
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