Perth and Kinross Council is investigating a complaint a developer has blocked off a core path west of Luncarty and formed a lengthy diversion without proper permission.
The local authority made a point of mentioning anyone wishing to modify core path LUNC/122 as part of planned work at Cramflat Farm had to apply for a special order to do so before making any changes when it ruled on a planning application last year.
The council’s community greenspace team said it was apparent from drawings submitted by G L Smith they wanted to shift the core path “substantially” so they could demolish old agricultural buildings and build new ones plus a new dwellinghouse in their place.
They said in their comments on the application: “Core path LUNC/122 passes through the site ... so a condition to safeguard the core path is required.”
Council planners duly drafted a condition which was attached to G L Smith’s planning consent stating the core path “must not be obstructed during construction or on completion” of the project “and non-motorised, responsible public access on the core path must not be deterred”.
It said: “Any proposed diversion must be to the minimal extent to be taken forward and a suitable specification (including timescale) for any proposed core path diversion must be submitted ... for the further approval in writing by the council as planning authority and thereafter implemented in full within the agreed timescale.”
However, a member of the Perth and Kinross Outdoor Access Forum (PKOAF) told a recent meeting of the local community council the core path has now been diverted well away from the farm without an order ever been granted and had raised the matter with PKC.
John Andrews, who is also the access officer for the Perth branch of Ramblers Scotland, said during the latest virtual of Luncarty, Redgorton and Moneydie Community Council, the original path is now completely blocked and “keep out” signs have been put up where it used to pass through the farm.
Mr Andrews told the meeting he had raised the issue with the local authority’s community greenspace team as well as its planning and development management team but said their responses had been far from satisfactory.
“I asked them to address the problem but community greenspace was disinclined to do anything and development management have not so much as acknowledged this,” he said.
A local authority spokesperson has now confirmed its staff are looking into Mr Andrew’s complaint.
“We confirm that a complaint has been made, which is being investigated by the council”, the spokesperson said.
“However, we are unable to comment further at this stage due it being a live investigation.
“The findings of the investigation will be shared with the complainants directly as per our procedure in due course.”
