Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Melanie Bonn

Aberfeldy residents call for the tall pines of Moness Resort to get the chop

More than 100 people living on an Aberfeldy housing estate have put their name to a petition calling for a neighbouring landowner to fell a row of very tall pine trees.

The residents of Moness housing estate in Aberfeldy have put together a petition for the removal of tall pine trees along Moness Avenue and Moness Crescent.

Over 100 local residents signed the petition and many more are thought to be in favour of action to remove a dark wall of mature trees that are stopping some people from getting TV signal.

When Storm Arwen hit last year, 20 or so trees fell in the high winds. Residents moved their parked cars away and feared the pines would topple on garages positioned close by.

Recently the locals recently presented the four pages of names to John McKenzie, owner of Moness Resort.

The trees stand on land belonging to his holiday resort where there is an indoor pool and wedding marquee. Many homes in Moness Crescent back onto the unbroken line of full-height conifers.

“The pines are causing quite a few issues,” explained Moness resident Elaine Murdoch.

“They have gotten so tall that they are affecting television signal, they are becoming dangerous for houses and cars and are shading light from homes and gardens.

A row of very tall pine trees fringe the edge of Moness Resort and have upset residents living in their shadow enough to generate a petition asking to have them felled (Melanie Bonn)

“We have 100 signatures on our petition.”

Elaine explained that many living in properties overshadowed by the pine trees- reckoned to be around 70 years old - have “given up” on trying to watch television as the towering trunks block the satellite signal.

“People living nearby are fed up with pixilated screens. It’s impossible to watch without becoming irritated.”

Elaine said it was not a feasible option to ‘top’ the trees.

She and fellow Moness resident Isla Moncrieff started the petition at the end of August.

Residents Alison Thom, Elaine Murdoch, Violet Keir and Thomas Fraser (5) examine the petition which they took to John Mckenzie who owns the trees (Melanie Bonn)

Recently Elaine came out with her five-year old grandson Thomas to ask other people to sign and make their frustrations known.

“Everybody wanted to sign,” said Elaine. “We had no difficulty getting names. We’d have even more if we got everybody when they were home.”

Pensioner Violet Keir signed. “The trees are blocking the light, they spoil living here,” she told the PA.

“Years ago I had a view out to the fields, you could see cattle grazing there.”

Alison Thom from Moness Crescent said: “I’ve given up on Sky altogether.

“And I miss the sun. The trees block that from my home.”

Garages and cars belonging to Moness housing estate residents could be in the path of falling trees if high winds return (Melanie Bonn)

Replying to the residents’ formal plea for the trees to be felled, Mr Mckenzie told them in an email: “All the trees are examined yearly by a qualified tree surgeon, as per our insurance company instructions, and any trees in doubt are taken down as required.”

Trees edging Moness Resort in Aberfeldy have grown too big and are upsetting residents who live in their shadow (Melanie Bonn)

He went on to allude to a failed application to build housing in woodland bordering the affected homes, citing the pine trees as the main obstacle.

“You may not know, but about seven years ago, we applied for planning permission and we were knocked back specifically due to the protection of the trees.

“This year, we again asked the Perth and Kinross planning department, [who] attended a meeting on site with the forestry department.

“At that meeting we were told that the planning department would strongly oppose any planning application, again due to the trees.”

Chair of Aberfeldy Community Council, Victor Clements told the PA the matter of the unhappy residents of the Moness housing estate and their wish to see the pines removed had been raised in meetings twice previously by himself and twice by Councillor John Duff.

“The problem gets worse all the time. Resentment is building up and the lack of action to satisfy them reflects on us as a community council.

“We are aware Mr Mckenzie wishes to develop houses on that area of land and feels that Perth and Kinross Council is blocking him on account of the woodland bordering Moness.

“Certainly from a woodland management perspective, bats and red squirrels live in the trees, but with the pines gone, other existing trees would continue to provide a habitat.

“I’ve done the research and obtaining a felling licence would be no problem.

“I’ve even advised Mr Mckenzie that I would apply to Scottish Forestry for one on his behalf. So far he has not taken me up on this.

“Additionally I’ve sought to quell any concerns that cutting the pines would be costly. I consider there would be 60-80 tonnes of timber to be claimed and if someone stepped in to do the job, the majority of costs would be offset by the sale of the wood.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.