BRIDGEND GANNOCHY AND KINNOULL COMMUNITY COUNCIL PERTH

www.bgk.org.uk

Minutes of meeting held on Thursday 19th February 2009 at Gannochy Community Hall at 7.30.p.m.

Present Brian Raine (Chairman), Colin Styles (Treasurer), Deirdre Beaton, Graham Fleming, Richard Salvin, Terry Myers.

In Attendance Councillor Archie McLellan, Councillor Peter Barrett, Constable Nichola Forrester, Helen Turley (Head of Housing Manager, Perth & Kinross Council), Clare Mailer (Head of Homelessness Services Manager, PKC, Lisa Potter (Media person, PKC), 20 members of the public

Apologies: Margaret Cairns, Andrew Douglas, Councillor Jack Coburn

1.  Welcome: Chairman Brian Raine welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2.  Minutes of meeting and Matters arising: Minutes of the previous meeting of 20th November 2008 were approved subject to one amendment. The police officer’s e-mail address is “nicky” not “nichola”. There were no matters arising.

3.  Constable’s Report: There was a break-in to a house in Mount Tabor Road which is under construction. 3 cars were vandalised in the Gannochy area. The police have had a meeting with the Chief Executive of Balnacraig School as there has been a number of escapees. There were several calls about troublesome youths in Lochie Brae, Main Street, Ardchoille Park, Strathmore Street, Potterhill and Tayside Nursing Home. The police are aware of drug users coming to Bridgend as Davidsons is the only place in Perth where needles can be exchanged. Drug users in groups were then seeking out the nearest close or stairwellto inject and this was causing alarm to residents - the police were aware of this but admitted it was a difficult problem. There were questions about this. A pharmacist present explained that chemists can choose to opt in or out of this scheme. We shall approach NHS. The Constable explained that the new policing plan coming in on 2nd March has as its intention, to put bobbies back on the beat on foot or bicycles. We shall have our community officer with 4 others to back her up. Mobile units will also be on call. If you wish to contact any of the Constables, then call 01738 892603/2605 or email or

4.  Rio Presentation: Helen Turley from PKC, explained Perth and Kinross Council’s responsibilities under current legislation. She said that there is increasing homelessness in this area. There are 5500 people on the waiting list with 500-700 children. Many houses (mainly family homes) have been lost through “right to buy”. The Council struggles to place homeless people. Rio is to be used for up to 8 families with dependent children or pregnant women but not those with dependency issues or who are chaotic or disruptive. It will be staffed at all times. A member of the public asked if Rio had been considered as an extension for the school. Councillor Barrett said it was unsuitable and there was no finance. There were questions about traffic circulation, parking (at Rio and on nearby streets), deliveries, category of resident, length of stay, size of families, school attendance, planning consent, timing of works and suitability of the dangerous garden for children. We were told by Helen Turley, Clare Mailer and Councillor Barrett that there will be an effort to avoid traffic at school pickup and drop off times; there will be liaison with the Kinnoull Head Teacher; families will be assessed for risk and made aware of their rights and responsibilities; there will be resident parking but staff will have to park in town; there will always be enough families (of up to two children) to fill Rio; tenancies could be up to 12 months but would depend on the suitability of accommodation available as people liked to go back to their own areas but had to take a reasonable offer if suitable; children will not attend Kinnoull School but will be picked up at Rodney or Riverside and conversion work (and delivery of materials) is to be managed to minimise disruption and shrubbery will be removed and a safe play area is being looked at.

There was very strong feeling about the lack of communication, lack of respect for the community, things being hidden and information not being shared. Many people were upset, annoyed and aggrieved at the way the whole exercise was undertaken. It was clear that this was not about homelessness per se but access, proximity to the school, suitability of the building and lack of communication. When challenged on the latter, Councillor Barrett said that PKC mucked up in not giving proper notice to the Community Council. They'd have preferred to get everything out into the open. He was sorry. He agreed that this is just an information exercise not consultation. It was about how to mitigate issues. There was no way PKC would consult on whether or not to buy Rio. This was a decision for elected councillors. Who (sic) would they consult? He was told "the school, the community council, the neighbours". Councillor Barrett confirmed that it was a done deal and there was no way the decision would be reviewed or taken back no matter what comes up. There will be feed-back to the Community Council and School Council. He then left the meeting.

Asked why a proper full risk assessment was not done, Clare Mailer said there was a safety and security assessment going on now and there had been an in-house assessment on use of the house.

Councillor MacLellan said that the decision had been taken by a committee not just Councillor Barrett. It is a massive error because there was no consultative policy. It was a complete and utter mistake.

Richard Salvin presented his report to the meeting – Update as to where the Community Council is on this issue:-

PLANNING

We do check all planning applications submitted for our area. This one was treated by PKC new owners of the building, as an alteration to a listed building - new external ramp and minor internal alterations. No change to the USE CLASS from Private Old Peoples Home – to PKC Housing Accommodation with Support–. Both were deemed to be Class 8 by the planning department.

This form of submission does not require a full submission which would have alerted both CC and adjoining neighbours of this change of use, and would also required an input from planning dept. on the road safety issues here.

If a ‘Class’ change was applicable a full planning application would have been required. This being the case it would have been unlikely to have gained planning approval. I have written and conferred with the planning officer on this Use Class subject (letter and reply on our website) and his last email communication was very clear:-

In considering whether or not the proposed use fell within class 8 (and therefore whether or not planning permission for a change of use was required) reference was made to Circular 1/1998. The circular advises that it is the provision of personal care or support which separates uses in Class 8 from uses in Class 7 (Hotels and Hostels). Article 2 of The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997 defines “care” as meaning personal care including the provision of appropriate help with physical and social needs or support. Given the level and type of support that it is understood will be provided for those residing at ‘Rio’, it was concluded that the use for housing accommodation with support (i.e. care) falls within class 8 and that no change of use is therefore involved

You can see this question revolves around the definition of CARE and as I have now been advised that the new Use falls within this definition, there is no Change of Use involved.

SUITABILITY OF BUILDING

There will definitely be an ‘Intensification of Use’ of the building. At its peak it may house 8 families, single parents with young children. Is the building suitable for this?

What in our opinion is not suitable:-

1) Dangerous entrance with very steep vehicular drive - much steeper than the 1 in 15 ramp that’s being installed!

2) Inadequate parking – only 4 parking spaces

3) Overgrown steep sloping garden – arrangements for external use, play areas?

4) Garden not safe or secure

5) Small rooms for a family; smallest 4mx3.5m largest 5mx 4.5m and only one has a separate sitting area.

6) Proximity to busy road junction and Kinnoull School entrance dangerous and undesirable.

COMMUNICATIOINS

It has been stated that the CC were offered the opportunity of early consultation regarding this project. This did not happen, perhaps if we had been consulted we could have avoided many of the problems we are now discussing? We were also very disappointed to learn that 3 of our PKC Councillors were aware of this project more than a year ago but didn’t think important enough to impart that knowledge, even to the remaining Councillor.

To end up on a positive note – we are pleased to see a building that has been lying empty for a few years now, being brought back into life, even although its use is more than a little contentious!

5.  Mast/Millennium Park: Terry Myers reported that the application by Vodafone to erect a mast was successfully rejected. It was a happy ending but there are lessons to be learned. The Community Council had not been properly informed of the application by the planning department but the community responded rapidly to our information leaflet. The government reporter visited the site and the appeal was dismissed.

6.  Bridgend Regeneration: Richard Salvin and Brian Raine had a meeting with Ken Mac Donald, Head of Economic Development and John McCrone regarding the Regeneration of Bridgend. They stressed that this is an area of Perth that has seen considerable decline, both in business terms and the overall state of the buildings, over the last 20 plus years and, more recently, the closure of the Post Office and other businesses has contributed to the area's serious current decline.

They added that BGK CC would support PKC in putting together a report on the opportunities for Bridgend and ways to encourage regeneration in the area. They were also encouraged to hear from John McCrone that Bridgend may be included within the current adjoining Conservation Area of Kinnoull which could also open the door to finance opportunities in this neglected area.

As mentioned in one of the Perth 800 Steering Group Meetings, it is a great shame that one of the most important tourist routes into, out of, and through Perth to events such as the Races, Scone Palace and the Game Fair should give such a poor impression, as it does at present.

They stated that BGK CC would be very interested in contributing towards a Working Group in order to drive forward any regeneration programme.

Brian Raine is waiting for a follow-up from Ken MacDonald. A member of the public said we must have joined-up thinking about Commercial Street and the Back Wynd car park. The shrubs had been totally vandalised. Another member of the public who had been born and bred in Bridgend listed all the many businesses once there. Councillor MacLellan said that the Perth 800 committee is talking about improving the High Street and he hopes money might be left for Bridgend. It needs to look better for the city status bid too.

7.  PKC Councillors’ Reports: Councillor MacLellan had nothing further to add.

8.  Murray Royal Hospital Development Update: Graham Fleming updated the meeting on behalf of the Murray Royal Working Group

The Community Council has consistently supported this much-needed hospital development, but subject to three provisos: that the whole site be retained for health care purposes, that park land be preserved and that traffic issues be addressed. Since our last report PKC has approved another outline planning application for the development, essentially to increase the "footprint" of the planned development on the site. We view this as an improvement on the previous application - and indeed a measure of the success of our contributions to the consultation process - in that it helps address two of our three objectives, namely retention of the whole site for health care purposes and preservation of parkland.

In addition, we shall participate in a project set up to identify and evaluate suitable alternative uses for the buildings and land which will become surplus to NHS Tayside's requirements. This project will be led by Peter Withers, a non-executive member of NHS Tayside Board. Various local bodies will be asked to participate, including Community Health Partnership, Gannochy Trust, Chamber of Commerce, Perth Civic Trust, Social Work and so on.

We remain concerned, however, about the poor road infrastructure which serves the site, especially Lochie Brae, the junction at the top of Lochie Brae, and also Gannochy Road. On top of this, we have the known issues relating to the traffic congestion around the bridge and the poor air quality in Main Street. Accordingly, we have asked Perth & Kinross Council to present their plans for addressing these issues and we await their response.

We are also pursuing a further issue relating to how the road infrastructure can cope with the new hospital facility. A traffic report, submitted by NHS Tayside as part of their planning application, stipulated that "a reduction in car trips of 28.1% is necessary prior to opening of the proposed new hospital facilities" and that "measures should therefore be implemented at the earliest opportunity". This report was dated June 2006. We have expressed our concern that NHS Tayside should be addressing this important task now and have asked that progress be reported at each engagement meeting.

Richard Salvin updated the meeting on the Murray Royal Design Quality Group