Developers behind a massive Perth expansion plan have joined a growing chorus of disapproval over a proposed relief road at the city’s crematorium.
The Pilkington Trust which wants to build the 1,500-home Almond Valley Village yesterday emerged as one of several challengers to a land take-over bid by Perth and Kinross Council.
The local authority is using compulsory purchase powers for a major upgrade of the A9/A85 junction, which is described as a crucial link to new developments on the edge of the city.
St Johnstone Football Club is also objecting to the buy-up, claiming construction would have a “seriously detrimental impact on the club’s operations”.
Supporters say the roadworks will unlock land at Inveralmond and Bertha Park, sparking a major jobs bonanza and paving the way for thousands of new homes and a secondary school.
But plans to build a road at the crematorium, disrupting land where hundreds of people’s ashes have been scattered, has been dubbed “cold-blooded” and “heartless” by opponents.
Councillors have already granted planning permission for the construction but the council still needs the go-ahead for a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to buy a total of 32 plots before any work can begin.
The Scottish Government’s planning appeals division has now been tasked with investigating all seven formal objections to the CPO and a public inquiry is likely to be held later this year.
In its letter to Scottish ministers, solicitors for the Pilkington Trust state they support the principle of the development and recognise the improvements to transport infrastructure it could bring. But law firm Pinsent Masons said the scheme “prejudices the efficient and effective development of residential sites” already zoned in the council’s adopted Local Development Plan.
A spokesman said: “In our clients’ view, there is a preferable alternative junction design that has not been properly considered. Simply put, the current scheme does not represent sustainable economic development and is not in the public interest.”
Steve Brown, St Johnstone FC chairman, penned a strongly-worded letter against the plan. “The proposed compulsory land-take and the construction of a major distributor road and traffic light-controlled junctions immediately adjacent to the stadium, which will create significant disturbance during football matches and other events and functions, will combine to have a serious detrimental impact on the club’s operations, specifically on footballing prospects and generally on business viability.”
He said construction would lead to the loss of areas used to “keep home and away support apart and to disperse fans quickly after matches”.
Mr Brown said the club stood to lose four-and-a-half acres of land. “Most seriously for the club, it would render the grass training pitch unfit for purpose,” he said. “The training pitch is heavily used and its importance to the club cannot be overstated.”
The directorate of planning and environmental appeals has appointed a reporter to handle the case. A date for a public inquiry has yet to be set.