Perthshire Planning Ahead: Airbnb ‘dumping ground’ & 91 shipping containers near city centre
by Stephen Eighteen · The CourierLocals have hit out at a proposal to turn a Perth city centre flat into an Airbnb-style holiday let.
The three-bedroom Georgian apartment on Scott Street changed hands for £175,000 in August.
Now Dr Samantha Baradhi, a psychologist based in Broughty Ferry, has submitted a change-of-use planning application to allow short-term lets.
Her application form says each stay would range from one week to one month.
It added: “I would manage the property myself and have experience of successfully managing an STR [short-term rental].
“I am based nearby and on hand when needed.”
At least two objections have been raised.
Gemma-Grace Johnstone outlined concerns about rubbish disposal, noise and maintenance of the common close.
“I do not want guests using this as a ‘dumping ground’ for rubbish when they leave the property or as a ‘storage area’ for prams.
“We have had fires in the common close in the past and the fire brigade stipulated that the common close should not be used for fires of any kind.”
Fellow objector Ross Hutton wrote: “The people staying there do not care about the neighbours because they are only going to be there a few days.”
Perth and Kinross Council will decide on the planning application.
Flood dissent over plan for 91 shipping containers near Perth city centre
The council’s flooding team has objected to a proposal for 91 shipping containers on a site less than a mile from Perth city centre.
Eighty of the self-storage units earmarked for the Ladeside Garage and Store in St Catherine’s Road would be 20ft deep.
The planning application also includes floodlights and CCTV on 4m high free-standing columns and 1m high columns mounted on selected containers.
An objection by the council’s flooding expert, David Stephens, said: “The Town Lade is susceptible to flooding problems in part caused by urban area run-off.
“An increase in impermeable area of 1,274.5m2 on this site must be supported by an appropriate drainage strategy.”
Inchture fence ‘has stopped loitering’
Inchture residents want to retain a fence that they say has reduced anti-social behaviour.
Sean Anderson and Terri McNaughton installed the 1.8-metre high timber fence to “protect their property” on Orchard Way.
They have now applied for it retrospectively having been told they need planning permission.
“The applicants have had to deal with a series of unfortunate events which have taken place on this owned area of space,” their supporting statement said.
“[This] includes a repeat of loitering, dog fouling and people encroaching and damaging their front garden and disturbing their privacy – to name a few.
“Since the erection of the fence, no such events have taken place, nor has it affected the surrounding amenity.
“Similar works have also been carried out at nearby properties which include the erection 1.8m-high fences.”
Perth and Kinross Council will determine the application.
Demolition idea for fire-hit Perth flats
Fire-damaged fllats in Perth’s James Street could be demolished.
The C-listed building was left with smoke and water damage after an early-morning blaze in August 2022.
No repairs have taken place due to a lack of insurance, leading to further deterioration.
A planning application from Framed Estates said: ““The fabric of the building has continued to decline, with water saturating the timber lath behind the plaster, absorbing moisture and expanding.”
An accompanying structural report says restoring the 1830s building would be “prohibitively expensive”.
Scone windows refusal despite ‘thermal efficiency’
The council has blocked a proposal to install replacement windows at a Scone home.
Ms Borley submitted a retrospective application as she claimed to be unaware that permission would be required for the C-listed building on Mansfield Road.
Her supporting statement said all three existing sash and case windows were in a state of decay due to rot and woodworm infestation.
The double-glazed replacements would “improve the thermal efficiency”, it added.
“The replacement windows are manufactured from timber finished with white gloss paint and are to match the existing windows in terms of timber section sizes and external appearance,” the supporting statement said.
Perth and Kinross Council, however, refused the application.
The decision report said: “The proposed development, by virtue of its inappropriate specification plant-on astragals, has a harmful impact upon the historic character and special interest of the category C-listed building.”
Here are the links to the planning papers for the Perth and Kinross applications