St Mary’s
Kinnoull
Perth
Scotland
Tel: 01738 624075
3rd February 2012
Dear Friends,
As you may know we are once again seeking planning permission for the field above the Monastery, our previous application having been turned down by a single casting vote only. This field which is bounded by St. Mary’s Cottage at the top, the houses built in the 1970’s on the Hatton Road side, and by the Monastery at the bottom of the field, is to form part of the proposed Perth Green Belt in the forthcoming final stage of the new Local Development Plan, something we strongly dispute and will be challenging.
However, we are proceeding with a request for planning permission in order that we may sell the field and so thereby ensure the future of the Monastery. Our Monastery has been here since 1865 and has been serving Perth, the neighbouring parts of Scotland and indeed the wider global community ever since.
However, the Monastery is cold, lacks full facilities for toilets and showers and is in serious need of upgrading. It is for these reasons that we are seeking an ENABLING DEVELOPMENT, which means that every penny of the money raised by the proposed sale of the land will be used to bring the Monastery up to a reasonable standard for this age.
We have seen the plans for the proposed 19 houses on the site and we believe that the developers have produced a fine plan which will not in any way mar the landscape. We also believe that having a roundabout at the entrance will slow down the traffic on Hatton Road and make the road more safe.
I am therefore asking you to assist our application to Perth and Kinross Town Council by communicating your support to the Council. You can do this by writing to the Planning Authority at Head of Planning, Perth and Kinross Council, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth PH1 5GD, or if you wish, you can email there directly by visiting our website (www.kinnoullmonastery.co.uk) and then click on ‘planning application’, which will lead you to a link for the planning authority. For ease of reference the application number is; 12/00008/FLM
Obviously it is very important that we have support, as we simply cannot continue here without the finance to upgrade the Monastery. And we have no other source of income to do this. I stress again that this is an Enabling Application. We do not consider that the building of the 19 houses on this piece of land will adversely affect the landscape or the environment. The granting of planning permission will enable the Monastery to continue its work of welcoming and helping people in need.
If you are willing to write and support us, perhaps you could include some of the elements I have indicated above in your letter of message of support, for it to carry real weight, the letter must be made in the context of the planning application and why you support it specifically and not just your welcome and much valued support of St Mary’s.
I cannot tell you how important this is to us and, I believe for Perth. The messages of support have to be with the Council by 10th February, and we would really ask you to help us in this time of great need.
With prayers for you all and you families,
Fr. Ronald McAinsh, C.Ss.R
Provincial Superior
St. Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull, Perth
Application for planning permission as an ENABLING DEVELOPMENT.
Please write in support to:
Head of Planning, Perth and Kinross Council, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth PH1 5GD
Or
Any comments on the application should be directed to the Perth & Kinross Council website via this link.
Once you have clicked the above, and are in the Perth and Kinross website, please click “make a public comment”.
Please stress your support of the Enabling Application
That you do not agree that the site meets Green Belt criteria and should not be designated as such
That the quality of housing will not be detrimental to Hatton Road, and meets an identified need for high quality family housing in the Perth area
That the extra traffic will not cause any significant difficulty on Hatton Road.
That the granting of this permission will be good for all concerned, and especially Perth.
Thank you and God bless you.