BRIDGEND, GANNOCHY AND KINNOULL COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting held on Thursday 17th April, 2008 at Gannochy Community Hall at 7.30pm.
Present: Brian Raine (Chairman); Richard Salvin (Vice-Chairman); Margaret Cairns (Secretary); Colin Styles (Treasurer); Deirdre Beaton; Andrew Douglas; Terry Myers; Graham Fleming (MRWG); Constable Graham Ogilvie and 4 members of the public.
Apologies: Councillor Heather Stewart
- Welcome: Chairman Brian Raine welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Minutes of Meeting: Minutes of the previous meeting of 30th March were approved.
- Matters Arising: The Secretary informed the meeting that she had been in touch with Environmental Services regarding the bins in the MillenniumPark. The Treasurer informed the meeting that the £16 was for membership to Scottish Rights of Way.
- Constable’s Report: Constable Ogilvie reported that there had been 25 calls re youths drinking and anti-social behaviour around the MillenniumPark, Norrie Miller and Potterhill areas. Alcohol confiscated and a barbeque on one of the benches in MillenniumPark had to be extinguished. Report of vandalism around the Ardchoille area and the lane at the side of the bakery. Police dealing with these incidents and where appropriate details of youths involved have been taken. Brian Raine read out a report from Councillor Helen Stewart which tied in with the Constable’s report. The Annat Community are pleased with Police intervention and their handling of the youths. Police activity will continue and if youths under 16 are causing trouble then their parents will be notified. There was also a recent break-in around the Main Street area. If you wish to contact Constable Ogilvie then call 01738 892603/2605 or e-mail
- MurrayRoyalHospital Development: Graham Fleming read the following report on behalf of the Murray Royal Working Group:
During the last two weeks, as well as the scheduled project status meeting with NHS Tayside and Perth & Kinross Council, the Community Council’s Murray Royal Working Group has participated in 2 meetings concerning the MurrayRoyalHospital development.
- Bidders Meeting
On behalf of the community we conveyed to two of the bidders, Laing and Taycare, our message of support for the proposed medical development but also our three areas of concern: that the whole site be used for health care only; that open parkland space be retained for the beneficial use of patients and the community; and our infrastructure-related concerns, especially with regard to traffic and site access.
- Participation on Design Panels
Vice-Chairman Richard Salvin attended the first Design Panel Meeting.
Alternative Uses for Listed Buildings and SurplusLand
Aside from direct consultative involvement with the proposed medical development, we recognise there is an opportunity to identify people and organisations who have the potential to become “Friendly Buyers” of the listed buildings and/or land on the MurrayRoyalHospital site which NHS Tayside no longer require. At this stage we have identified our three highest-priority “possibilities” and we shall seek to make contact with them.
Local Plan
In the light of further delays with the Local Plan, we have asked Perth & Kinross Council how they plan to cope with developers’ demands for new housing applications east of the Tay during the prolonged period before the required road infrastructure (new Tay crossing) can be developed. We await a response.
Richard Salvin also reported on the Design Panel Workshop as part of the Design Quality Group,
Held on 16th April 2008 attended by RS representing BGKCC as part of Design Quality Group made up 2xTHB Design Champions, NHS Project Director, A+DS Enabler- Architect Scottish Office, NHS Project Architect, THB Atis Trust, Perth Civic Trust.
DQG Role and Remit:·
-To consider the fundamental design issues
-To set up criteria to evaluate designs at each of the 3 submission stages
-To review the designs alongside the Clinical Users Groups
-To meet with the Bidders at Design Panel Workshops to discuss progress of designs.
To attend RS required to sign an Agreement of Confidentiality.
There are currently 2 Bidders and therefore information about approach to design and initial proposals is confidential.
What is able to be reported is general information which is not of a confidential nature.
The Bidders are only 6 weeks into the process. The first submissions from both Bidders was very professional, and in a short space of time have come up with some very comprehensive interesting concepts.
The encouraging aspect of the submissions was that they were both aware of the CC concerns regarding the traffic issues, importance of retaining the Parkland quality in respect of outside therapeutic space, whole site health care, future uses of listed building etc. The CC concerns had been passed onto the Bidders by the NHS and at our recent MRWG/Bidders meeting with them last week we had a chance to discuss these issues in more detail.
It has become apparent that there is conflicting information between the Planning Dept input into this development and CC input, particularly in respect of traffic access and housing on the site.
We urgently need to meet with the planners (who were not represented at the Workshop) to clarify and understand these differences, and have requested a meeting to discuss this as well as the implications of the Perth Draft Plan delay.
There is a further meeting of the DQG tomorrow Fri 18th April to access the Bidders presentation at the workshops.
RS to update progress on the website.
After discussions on this important matter it was concluded that there were 3 different perspectives and 3 different timescales regarding the development. The Community Council are not decision makers but a consultation body. Biggest decision makers are NHS, PKC Planners & Development Control Committee. Therefore views have to kept to the fore. Graham Fleming would encourage everyone to write to the Planning Dept with their views and Andrew Douglas would also encourage everyone to write to the local Councillors with a community view of a site for healthcare purposes. PKC have been invited to attend our meeting to explain the future of traffic and infrastructure – they will only meet with the Community Councillors and will not attend a public meeting. Andrew Douglas also asked about the future of the football pitch which should be kept in place until 2009 after which it may be moved to another site within the grounds of Murray Royal.
- Planning:
6.1 Planning Applications: 2 checked;-
08/00557/LBC conversion of former Bakery 2-4 Main Street to a maisonette flat.
Comments: Support to clean up prominent building and riverside site, concern service rooms have no natural light/ventilation, no bin area identified.
08/00712/FUL demolition of water tank, erection of one house, Muirhall Road.
Comments: Sensitive site on edge of Greenbelt, commended Design Statement.
Concerns: Vehicular intrusion on Right of Way and dangerous exit onto Muirhall Road.
Previously reported 07/02157/FUL 18 Brompton Terrace, house extension. Application supported by CC on the basis of good design. Refused, now gone to appeal. CC written continuing support letter.
6.2Perth Area Draft Plan: Request to attend this meeting to discuss implication of delay declined. Awaiting meeting date – will update on website.
6.3St. Mary’s Monastery: No further information.
- Environmental Matters:
7.1 Conservation Area extensions, and Group Tree Preservation Orders at Monastery and the Fernhill Burn tree corridor submitted to Conservation Unit for consideration.
7.2: KinnoullHillWoodlandPark - Open Day on 24th May 11am – 4.30pm
- MillenniumPark: This was dealt with at Item 4 during Constable Ogilvie’s report and the report by Councillor Heather Stewart.
- PKC Councillors Reports: Councillor Heather Stewart reported:
Item 1 – Anti Social Behaviour/Under Age drinking/Policing
Please accept my apologies for not being able to attend in person; I have instead detailed my report in writing.
Councillor Archie MacLellan and I attended a meeting with Tayside Police yesterday, 16 April 2008. Divisional Commander Matt Hamilton and Inspector David Barclay (Perth Operations) represented the Police. The meeting was regarding the policing throughout Perth Town Centre but I asked for more specific details and an update on what the Police Service were doing to rectify the situation which has been escalating in the Bridgend area over the past few weeks.
They informed me that they had occasion to remove alcohol from under age youths. There have been eight young people interviewed over the last few days regarding some of these instances. The young people in question were identified as coming from the Gannochy and Potterhill areas.
On other occasions the youths have been identified as coming from PerthCity.
Divisional Commander Matt Hamilton advised and assured me that there will be increased policing activity in the Centre of Perth & Bridgend. This will involve increasing the number of police on the beat by five.
Unfortunately, this is not an increase in the overall number of available officers in the area; it is a reprioritisation of targets for resources. Divisional Commander Hamilton assured me that antisocial behaviour; under age drinking etc is one of the main priorities. I was extremely pleased to hear this as my personal opinion is that increased policing results in a reduction in crime rates.
Police Constable Graham Ogilvie, Community Support Officer, will now be solely designated to Bridgend. This is excellent news as Graham knows exactly where the trouble spots are and how to tackle the young people in a constructive manner.
I am aware that the police have responded extremely quickly when they have been contacted and it is now just a matter of keeping up the high profile, particularly throughout the summer. This can be a particularly difficult time when young people find time on their hands and may be more likely to get up to mischief.
Item 2 - Potterhill Flats
Once again I have to report that there was an incident where slight damage resulted at the Potterhill flats but this has been rectified by the Housing Department.
10. Treasurer’s Report: Colin Styles purchased a gift and sent a letter of thanks to the Auditor; this amounted to £8.98. £16 was paid to Scottish Rights of Way for membership. He asked permission to pay membership to Association of Scottish Community Councils. Administration Grant for 2008/9 from the Council should be received in due course and the £35 Data Protection charge should come from the Local Council.
Balance: £5,610.41
Represented by:
MillenniumPark A/c £5,043.04
Community Council A/c £ 567.37
- Any Other Competent Business:
The secretary has received the following information:-
From PKC - Plan for development of AlmondValley and Local Licensing Board information.
From Forrestry Commission – Strategic Plan.
From Association of Community Councils – Constitution Consultation 2008.
Sepaview.
Brian Raine received a letter re Provisions of Council Services, Gritting and Snow Clearing.
Terry Myers will follow up a on the Community Council Role to feed views of Community to various agencies and Working Groups on Devolution of Budgets and Decision Making.
Kinnoull Fete will be on Saturday 14th June 12noon to 4pm
12. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held on Thursday 19th June 2008 in Gannochy Community Hall at 7.30pm. There will be no meeting in July and August and a further will be held on 18th September 2008 at 7.30pm in the Gannochy Community Hall.
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