The following email and attachments were sent by Mike Barnacle to Perth & Kinross Council in response to the call for Main Issues for the Main Issues Report.

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I refer to my email of 27/1/15 enclosed, noting the outcomes from the recent Kinross-shire Ward Forum/Network of Community Councils (CC’s) and enclosing the paper I have asked to be discussed at the next Planning MOWG in March on the Quality and Standard of Planning Reports and relations with CC’s along with Councillor Cuthbert’s thoughts on improving the Development Management process.

You will recall that PKC have asked communities to let them know by the end of March issues they would like to see raised in the Main Issues Report for their review of our LDP.  I thought it might be useful if I outlined some of my thoughts on issues in Kinross-shire for your assistance and possible consideration viz:-

TRANSORT

Reinforce the need for major mitigation measures for the A977 (Para 7.1.18 of current LDP) and consider calls for restoration of a rail link in the shire.  Is there sufficient recognition of speed control measures on other major roads in the shire, i.e. A911?

POLICIES

You may recall my letter of 19/1/15, copied to yourselves, on the draft supplementary guidance for special landscape areas and hopefully this will be concluded shortly and include the Cleish Hills and River Devon/gorge along with those proposed for Lochleven, Ochil Hills and Portmoak.  I noted in April 2012 that a spatial framework for wind energy developments was to be completed and it is still awaited; in January 2012, I called for a moratorium of further major windfarm cluster developments in the Ochils and still feel this is justified, given developments since.

Are we happy with the increased housing density ranges in our LDP and should we be seeking greater protection for prime agricultural land, in accordance with national planning policy?

Policy PM4 currently seeks to prevent development outwith settlement boundaries, should this be expanded upon and clarified more?

Should we call for a review of employment sites zoned in our LDP;  I have always been against the development of such west of the M90, whilst existing zoned sites remain un-developed.  However, the status and retention of the Turfhills environment/roads depot should be emphasised.

I strongly suggest a call for a review of our open-door policy RD5 on gypsy/traveller sites and because of the usually retrospective nature of planning applications that result, this policy should surely not apply in the Lochleven Catchment Area; thereby enhancing policy EP7 to protect the Loch.

Should we be lobbying for Crook Moss (a lowland bog area that is re-foresting) to be considered for declaration as a site of special scientific interest?  Although Planning are reluctant to propose new conservation areas, should we call for Back Crook, Keltybridge/Maryburgh and Milnathort to be considered?

SETTLEMENT PLANNING AND BOUNDARIES

Should we revive calls for masterplans for Kinross Town (including maintaining Site H46 and the Market Park site as open space/community woodland) and the Fossoway villages of Blairingone (to include consideration of a by-pass line) and Powmill (including re-alignment and improvement of the A823 junction).

12 settlements had boundaries removed in our current LDP at Balado Crossroads, Blairforge, Craigowmill, Cuthill Towers, Easter Balgedie, Gairney Bank, Gairneybridge/Fruix, Lochran Sidings, Mawcarse, Middleton, Netherton and Upper Tillyrie; nine of these were within the Lochleven catchment area and should we argue for their boundaries to be re-instated?

Are we happy with the settlement boundaries for Cleish (divorced), Glenlomond (Care Home site zoning), Greenacres (enclosed to prevent retrospective expansion), Keltybridge (Policy PM4 failed to protect a former village setting area from development), Kinnesswood (Stephen’s field implications), Rumbling Bridge (reinstate village setting) and Scotlandwell (divorced from Kilmagadwood and H54 extended eastwards)?

The above represents merely ideas and is not exhaustive, purely provided as a snapshot of what we maybe should consider for a plan review to 2024.  I trust also it may be helpful in setting the agenda for public CC meetings in March.

Kind regards

Councillor Mike Barnacle

Independent Member for Kinross-shire

Tel:  01577 840516

Ps          You will have noted the relevant email (DevelopmentPlan@pkc.gov.uk) and website (www.pkc.gov.uk/article/10339/Main-Issues-Report) addresses for contact with PKC on this matter.

Attachments:

Improving the planning process

Quality and standard of planning reports

Note of meeting on quality and standard of planning reports

 

 

The following letter was written by Mike Barnacle to Graham Esson at Perth & Kinross Council. It makes the case for inclusion of the land covered by the former AGLVs in the new Special Landscape Areas, and in particular supports the submissions of Fossoway Community Council and Kinross-shire Civic Trust as regards the Devon Gorge and Cleish Hills respectively.

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Dear Graham

Special Landscape Areas – Draft Supplementary Guidance

I refer to your email of 2/12/14 re the above, seeking views on the consultant’s report by 19^th instant. I will restrict my comments to the proposals that impact on Kinross-shire Ward.

You may recall the enclosed article I wrote for Rural Scotland’s Spring 2014 Newsletter (Page 4) that also appeared in the May 2014 edition of Kinross CC’s Newsletter. This charted the Kinross-shire experience on landscape designation since 2000; in particular the hard-fought successful campaign to extend the Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV’s) to the shire’s hill and river borders in the Local Plan 2004, the loss of them in PKC’s Local Development Plan (LDP) adopted 3^rd February 2014, due to a change in Scottish Government Planning Policy and the ‘policy gap’ before supplementary guidance is produced on what is to replace them.

I noted a Review of Local Landscape Designations at PKC was to be undertaken, with consultants having been appointed and sought participation.

I have since attended three meetings of the Review Panel, comprising PKC councillors (I represented APRS and Kinross-shire), community councils (Cleish, Fossoway & Glenfarg from Kinross-shire ward), environmental organisations (Friends of the Ochils, John Muir Trust, etc.)

On 14^th August 2014, I attended the evening workshop for PKC councillors (4 only present) at which the consultants final report was produced and at which it was decided to circulate all councillors with prior to this final public consultation.

The LLA’s proposed for Kinross-shire are Lochleven, Ochil Hills and Portmoak which I fully support. Despite strong representation from myself, Cleish & Fossoway CC’s within the Review Panel, the consultants have excluded from designation the former AGLV’s of the Cleish Hills and the River Devon and its gorge. I believe this is a major omission and seek a change to the proposals to include these omitted areas. An examination of the 10 evaluation criteria used by the consultants for designating LLA’s is necessary to see what landscape characteristics these excluded areas possess that justify designation. The criteria are landscapes which:

1. make a positive contribution to the wider identity, image and sense of place of Perth and Kinross.
2. are rare or unique landscapes
3. are well managed and in a good state of repair
4. feel wild or remote
5. have strong scenic qualities
6. are important for recreation and tourism
7. have a strong historic character or important cultural or spiritual associations
8. have important natural features and habitats
9. form part of the setting of towns and villages
10. have important views, viewpoints or land marks

I suggest that Cleish Hills meet at least six of the above and it is worth noting that Fife Council’s LLA’s border the PKC boundary here and cross boundary designations were raised in the Review Panel but have been ignored here.

As regards the River Devon and its gorge, it should be remembered that the Reporter to the Local Plan public enquiry in 2003 regarded this area as of outstanding quality that merited inclusion as an AGLV, especially as the river flows out of the Ochil Hills designated area. I suggest that the river and its gorge meet at least eight of the above and I note the strong historic character and important cultural association of the Devon with Robert Burns’ song ‘The banks of the Devon’; conversely, in supporting an LLA in the Aberfeldy area, the consultants quote Burns’ song ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’.

I note that Muckhart Community Council and Clackmannanshire Council are discussing the merits of designating the Devon Gorge as an SLA.

I would commend the submissions of Fossoway Community Council and Kinross-shire Civic Trust as regards the Devon Gorge and Cleish Hills respectively.

I would also cite the excellent submission from Friends of the Ochils to your consultation, noting particularly their support for the inclusion of these omitted areas as SLA’s.

In summary, I am extremely disappointed that the final consultant’s report has ignored review panel representation on the Cleish Hills and the River Devon/Gorge when selecting their proposed LLA’s and seek to ensure that PKC and its elected members change these proposals and include these areas as LLA’s within the supplementary guidance for our recently adopted LDP.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Michael Barnacle

Independent Member for Kinross-shire

PS Please let me know if you wish any further clarification on the criteria that I feel are met by the omitted areas.

cc        Glenfarg & Kinross-shire CCs

Kinross-shire Civic Trust

Friends of the Ochils

Rural Scotland (APRS)

Councillors Cuthbert, Giacopazzi and Robertson

The following letter was written by Mike Barnacle on 15 August 2014 about the proposed local landscape areas for Kinross-shire.

TO: Glenfarg & Kinross-shire Community Councils (C.C.’s); Kinross-shire Civic Trust; Friends of the Ochils; Rural Scotland (APRS); Councillors Cuthbert, Giacopazzi & Robertson

15^th August 2014

Dear Colleagues,

Proposed Local Landscape Areas (LLA’s) for Kinross-shire

You may recall the enclosed article I wrote for Rural Scotland’s Spring 2014 Newsletter (Page 4) that also appeared in the May 2014 edition of Kinross CC’s Newsletter. This charted the Kinross-shire experience on landscape designation since 2000; in particular the hard-fought successful campaign to extend the Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV’s) to the shire’s hill and river borders in the Local Plan 2004, the loss of them in PKC’s Local Development Plan (LDP) adopted 3^rd February 2014, due to a change in Scottish Government Planning Policy and the ‘policy gap’ before supplementary guidance is produced on what is to replace them.

I noted that a Review of Local Landscape Designations at PKC was to be undertaken, with consultants having been appointed and sought participation.

I have since attended three meetings of the Review Panel, comprising PKC councillors (I represented APRS and Kinross-shire), community councils (Cleish, Fossoway & Glenfarg from Kinross-shire ward), environmental organisations (Friends of the Ochils, John Muir Trust, etc.)

On 14^th August 2014, I attended the evening workshop for PKC councillors (4 only present) at which the consultants final report was produced and at which it was decided to circulate all councillors with this prior to a final public consultation this autumn.

The LLA’s proposed for Kinross-shire are Lochleven, Ochil Hills & Portmoak (the boundaries of which should be checked). Despite strong representation from myself, Cleish & Fossoway CC’s within the Review Panel, the consultants have excluded from designation the former AGLV’s of the Cleish Hills and the River Devon and its gorge. I believe this is a major omission and it will be necessary to lobby PKC through the final public consultation to change the proposals and include these omitted areas. To achieve this, an examination of the 10 evaluation criteria used by the consultants for designating LLA’s is necessary to see what landscape characteristics these excluded areas possess that justify designation. The criteria are landscapes which:

1. make a positive contribution to the wider identity, image and sense of place of Perth and Kinross.
2. are rare or unique landscape
3. are well managed and in a good state of repair
4. feel wild or remote
5. have strong scenic qualities
6. are important for recreation and tourism
7. have a strong historic character or important cultural or spiritual associations
8. have important natural features and habitats
9. form part of the setting of towns and villages
10. have important views, viewpoints or land marks

I suggest that Cleish Hills meet at least six of the above and it is worth noting that Fife Council’s LLA’s border the PKC boundary here and cross boundary designations were raised in the Review Panel but have been ignored here.

As regards the River Devon and its gorge, it should be remembered that the Reporter to the Local Plan public inquiry in 2003 regarded this area as of outstanding quality that merited inclusion as an AGLV, especially as the river flows out of the Ochil Hills designated area. I suggest that the river and its gorge meet at least eight of the above and I note the strong historic character and important cultural association of the Devon with Robert Burns’ song ‘The Banks of the Devon’; conversely, in supporting an LLA in the Aberfeldy area, the consultants quote Burns’ song ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’.

In summary, I am extremely disappointed that the final consultant’s report has ignored review panel representation on the Cleish Hills and the River Devon/Gorge when selecting their proposed LLA’s and I urge local organisations and people to make representation on the consultation in order to ensure that PKC and its elected members change these proposals and include these areas as LLA’s within the supplementary guidance for our recently adopted LDP.

Yours sincerely,

 

Councillor Mike Barnacle

(Independent Member for Kinross-shire) (Tel: 01577 840516)