John Ballantyne, a man instrumental in the planning of housing developments which changed the face of Broughty Ferry, has died. He was 82.
Mr Ballantyne, who was born in Auchtermuchty in 1933, was influential in the development of housing in the Nursery Road and East Balgillo area in his role as a town planner.
Speaking of his father, John Ballantyne Jr recalled joining him with his brother Neil and traipsing the then open swathes of Balgillo with tape measures in hand, surveying the future housing sites.
Having started his working life as a quantity surveyor, Mr Ballantyne worked for the Dundee Corporation before establishing John Ballantyne and Partners in the city’s Albert Square in the 1970s. He was also a fully inducted chartered fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Mr Ballantyne was instrumental in housing developments along the east coast, helping oversee work in the Aberdeenshire town of Portlethen.
One of his more unusual housing development experiences was the time he helped Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page win a court case against a neighbouring land owner at the musician’s fabled Boleskine House.
In the 1970s, he became the co-owner of the go-kart track in Monifieth, and then turned his hand to running a hair salon in the Murraygate called Salon 51. After retiring in the 1990s, he became a member of the MS Society in Dundee after his wife Sheila was diagnosed with the disease. He was also a founding member of the Rotary club.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter Linda and six grandchildren. A service will be held on Tuesday at Barnhill’s St Margaret’s Parish Church.
