Piperdam gets go-ahead for housing plans

The Courier, 3 April 1998

Angus Councillors last night voted in favour of the housing development at the Piperdam leisure complex near Birkhill.

Piperdam Golf and Country Park Ltd, had secured a recommendation for the housing development from Angus planners but Convener Kitty Ritchie used her casting vote to carry her refusal motion after councillors were split 50/50 on the issue at last month’s development control committee.

The developers want to build around 40 properties on the site which already houses a golf course and a fishing loch.

Last night planning director Alex Anderson told a full council meeting that while there was some local concern over the effect of the development on the school role at Birkhill there had been no objection from the director of education.

“It is a relatively small amount of housing and ‘it is felt that it will provide a viable future for the development,” he said.

Councillor Ritchie said that the development went against the Tayside Structure Plan, the Angus Local Plan and the guidelines regarding houses in the open countryside.

“The only grounds here are financial. It is retrospectively that these houses are being asked for,” she said.

“The local school board is concerned and I share that same concern.

“It’s financial greed not planning need.”

Councillor Ritchie was seconded by Councillor Tiny Young who said, "My main worry is the housing - we have not got the infrastructure here to cope with the houses or the school places.”

Moving amended approval, Councillor Frank Ellis said that Piperdam was “a very innovative development” which should be supported.

“As a council we must be approachable, flexible and have vision,” he said.

“This will be a very unique attraction which will provide something like 49 jobs all year round.

“As far as Birkhill school is concerned the school role is currently 196 and it has a capacity of 231.”

Councillor Stewart Mowatt backed’ Mr Ellis and said, “Strategic and, local plans must not be breached lightly but should not be inviolate.

“The price and type of this housing is not likely to be provided by the local plan and will benefit the locality.”

Councillor Brian Milne said that he was reminded of a situation in the early 1980s at Letham Grange when the council faced the “same Luddite reaction from the Tory representatives as we got from Councillor Ritchie today”.

Provost Mrs Frances Duncan asked the council to vote and the result was 16-6 in favour of the development.

After the meeting a spokesman for Piperdam Golf and Country Park Ltd, said, “This will be an excellent leisure and tourism facility, located within Angus, which will attract and fully cater for the widest range of visitors, both local and from other parts of the country and abroad.

“The full spectrum of activities will satisfy everyone from those wishing to enjoy the casual passive informal walking and nature activities or the more active and organised golf and fishing facilities.”