Muirhead, Birkhill & Liff Community Council Response to Consultation on - ANGUS SOUNCIL LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (Angus LDP) Main Issues Report (MIR)

Due to the timing of the consultation the first opportunity Muirhead, Birkhill and Liff Community Council had to discuss the Plan was on 7th February 2013. We hope that our observations can be taken into consideration and we look forward to receiving the Proposed Plan in the summer.

We considered the Angus LDP as it relates to our area and concerns were expressed that one of the most populous areas of South Angus, which is remote from the highly featured Burghs, gets scant recognition. The Settlement Strategy questions in Appendix 1 of the MIR are if no relevance to our Community Council area.

For reference the population as of 2008 (est) are:-

Birkhill & Muirhead 2130 900 940 Letham 1520 770

We recognise that part of our Community Council is in the Angus part of the Core Area and is designated by TAYplan. A concern is that this will mean we fall between ‘stools’.

Decline of Rural Services

In the Main Issues Topic Paper 5 – Community Infrastructure paras. 3.89-3.91 concern is noted regarding the decline in rural services and facilities and a desire to halt this is expressed. However, Topic Paper 1 – Spatial Strategy para 4.8 states ‘ has the greatest range of facilities and services of the Angus part of the Dundee Core Area (including schools, health care facilities and town centre shops). Any new development should be directed to locations in and around this part of the Core Area in preference to other parts to provide a sustainable development strategy across Angus’. This is at odds with the intention of doing something ‘to halt the decline in rural services and facilities’ as stated in para 3.91 of the Community Infrastructure Paper.

We do not wish to see Monifieth deprived of necessary development but in a part of Angus which has few local authority facilities compared to the Burghs we do not agree with this approach.

South Angus Housing Market Area (HMA)

We agree that due to lack of Primary, and also Secondary, School places there is no opportunity for major housing development in our area. Having said this, the fact that we are close to the Western Gateway as defined by TAYplan, makes it difficult to know just what will happen with regard to this area contributing to the South Angus HMA.

Park and Ride Facilities

Another example of our area being affected by a TAYplan proposal, which is not in Angus, is the Park and Ride to the West of Dundee. This is of much more interest to our residents than the ones planned for the North and East.

Green networks and infrastructure Angus LDP – MIR paras 6.26 and 6.27.

The aims stated are admirable but, in our area, in practise little has been done by Angus Council to ensure that paths are maintained and developers have largely ignored opportunities to preserve or enhance green space in and around developments. This seems to be largely ignored in the Angus LDP.

NB Volunteers do a considerable amount and in our area Community Payback has carried out some very useful work. The Council needs to be much more supportive of groups of volunteers.

Roads – A90 (T) - Main Issues Topic Paper 5 – Community Infrastructure

In para 2.20 there is some mention of an upgrade to the A90 (T), either through or around Dundee, with 2 options, neither of which has been investigated.

This is now incorrect. In Annex 2 of Transport ’s Strategic Transport Project Review, Report 3, Item D2 is the Dundee Northern Relief Road – either Northern Peripheral Bypass or A90 Kingsway Upgrade.

The outcome of this review seems to favour the Bypass but there has been correspondence recently which indicates that Dundee, at present, favours a Kingsway Upgrade. It will be important for the Angus LDP to make the Angus position on this issue clear.

Erratum

MIR Topic Paper 5 – Community Infrastructure page 32 - para 3.94 refers to Climate Change Paper, Pages 17 & 18, para 3.4 BUT para 3.4 is on pages 13 & 14.

Colin Hunter (Chairperson, Muirhead, Birkhill and Liff Community Council)