Perth and Kinross Council has said it will not relax a rule restricting the ages of people allowed to live in a retirement complex in Scone now it is being passed to a new owner.
The local authority made the statement in response to concerns the 51 flats built on the site of the old Wheel Inn could potentially be rented to people younger than they were originally designed for now they are set to come under the control of a housing association.
Edinburgh-registered company Juniper Residential was granted planning permission by a council committee to demolish the former public house and restaurant and build the new apartments back in March 2019 under the proviso they would only ever be occupied by people aged 55 or over.
Concerns were raised at the time the development lacked sufficient car parking spaces for its intended inhabitants and that transport planning consultants had greatly underestimated the volume of traffic the scheme would generate on local roads.
Local councillor Lewis Simpson also questioned the projected vehicle trips during the public meeting where the development was approved saying he was concerned there was “no guarantee” the people who ended up buying the flats would actually be retired.
“I wonder if [we’ve] given consideration to the fact that residents may be over 55 but may not be retirees and they may drive off to work every day,” he remarked at the time.
Earlier this year it emerged Kingdom Housing Association were in talks to buy the development, now known as Earlsgate, from Juniper Residential and that Perth and Kinross Council had agreed to assist with the sale by providing £765,000 of funding for the handover.
This sparked a discussion at the latest virtual meeting of Scone and District Community Council where members speculated the housing association could now choose to apply for consent to revise the rule relating to the age of future occupants so it can rent the flats to younger people.
Vice chair Jill Belch said such a move would likely lead to even greater volumes of traffic moving to and from the development than previously envisaged as younger people all tend to own their own private transport.
Councillor Simpson also raised his concern a second time that over 55s who end up living in the flats may not actually be retired and end up driving to and from the site to get to work every day.
He also said he thought at the time the apartments were originally approved that the condition seeking to restrict those who would be allowed to move into them to over 55s only was unenforceable.
“As one of only two councillors who voted against that development, I can tell you that was one condition I thought was just a load of hogwash,” he said.
“This idea that older people stay at home drinking champagne with their feet up watching Countdown and don’t drive anywhere is not correct,” he added.
This week PKC sought to scotch speculation the flats will end up being lived in by under 55s, insisting it has “no intention” to relax the planning condition restricting access to people aged 55 or over.
A spokesperson told the Perthshire Advertiser: “There is no intention to relax the age criteria on the Earlsgate development in Scone.
They added: “This investment will help deliver affordable housing need in Scone as identified by the Local Housing Strategy.”
Kingdom Housing Association also told the PA this week it has “no plans” to apply to change the condition.
A spokesperson said: “Kingdom Housing Association is finalising the purchase of the development with support from the Scottish Government and PKC and has no plans to change the planning consents in place related to age restrictions.”
Separately, a spokesperson for Juniper Residential said the company had decided to sell Earlsgate because of both the short and long term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They said: “Juniper was approached by an organisation interested in purchasing the site in late 2021.
“We agreed to explore the option of sale after private sales were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the development’s sales launch coinciding with the onset of the pandemic.
“Given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on over-55s, there had been a lower than anticipated uptake throughout the sales campaign.
“The apartments were expertly-designed to adapt to the changing needs of over-55s, and we are proud that the local community will enjoy housing built to a very high standard.”
