Draft Minutes Meeting Fossoway and District Community Council
Tuesday 4th June 2013, Moubray Hall, Powmill

Attending: Sandy Morrison, Trudy Wigman-Duffy, Kevin Borthwick, Cllrs M Barnacle and W Robertson and 16 Members of the Public (MoP).

Apologies: Sheila Anderson, Alastair Lavery, Rod Patterson, Angus Cheape , Cllrs J Giacopazzi and D Cuthbert.

Declarations of interest: Sandy reminds all that only CC members need to declare interests.

Community Policing: No Police officer was present, but a report sent: No crimes of note in this area last month. T in the Park is coming up in July and the Police will try to ensure minimum disruption. Sergeant Sandra Williams, Constable Sadie Allan and Constable Victoria Riches are the main points of contact – please don’t hesitate to contact them. Thefts of heating and diesel oil are prevalent due to the prices, so it’s good idea to take precautions to protect tanks. Concern from MoP that although there are frequent checks of 30mph limits, people seem to be ignoring the 40mph limits – could checks be done in these areas? Cllr Robertson has asked senior Police Officers when the Community Speedwatch will be reinstated. Cllr Barnacle reports that PKC is preparing a business case for further speed control measures on the A977.

Minutes of the previous meeting: There were no amendments so the minutes were signed off.

Wind Co-operative: Paul Phare of Energy4all (a not-for-profit organisation) and Ian McLean of Locogen gave a presentation about two wind turbine developments at Carden Farm, 1km South of Crook of Devon, and South Kilduff Farm, 2km South-west of Balado. Planning is likely to be submitted start of July and end of June respectively, expecting a decision by October. The 45m high (30m tower, 15m blade) turbines would be slightly shorter than the Bankhead turbines. Turbines will be placed to maximise separation from residential developments. Ownership to be based on the Danish model – a co-operative set up to be run by a board of local people and funded by a public share offer, minimum £250, maximum £20k, with further finance being sought from other co-operatives and normal sources if necessary. Similar schemes have generated 10% return over the life of the project. Any extra profits would be distributed to community, of the order of £5k to £10k per annum. The landowner will receive a ground rent. Energy4all will assist in setting up co-operative, which will probably take about three months after planning approval. Cllr Barnacle points out that the whole area is being surrounded by multiple schemes, and this proposal will add to that cumulative impact. Further it has been demonstrated that photo-montages being prepared for planning do not reflect the reality of what gets built, and new rules are coming into force to address this. Discussion ensued about paying for end-of life restoration- The planning authority will insist on a bond to decommission site, and the co-operative could choose to extend the planning permission and continue with the site or replace the turbine with a newer one.

Green Routes: Brian Cargill from PKC explained the thinking behind these. Local Cllrs had requested the scheme, and after consulting with Clacks, who reported that they were very successful, PKC investigated. In conjunction with surrounding councils it was possible to make continuous routes. Simply putting up speed limit signs doesn’t work, so other measures are needed to make the limits effective. There are sixteen routes (twelve in this CC’s area) proposed, currently the process of consulting local CCs, allowing any legal challenges to be resolved, etc. is taking place. Sustrans passed over £61k which they couldn’t deploy last year, and addition of other finance has allowed two of the schemes to be implemented already. Two more locations have been funded by Sustrans this year. Speed limits corresponding to current actual speeds will be imposed, together with signs advising drivers the road is also being used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders. Concern had been expressed about the loss of separation between the pavement and the road on the A977 due to the widening work – Brian replies that there is no evidence that this increases risk. MoP point out that there are other areas that don’t have pavements at all, why weren’t they fixed first? Brian replies that there is a long list of outstanding requests for pavements, and there isn’t a budget for those. There was extensive discussion about whether these schemes will actually improve safety. Long term traffic analysis has shown gradual increase in traffic volumes on A977, but no more than on other roads, and the percentage of HGVs has not increased. Speed data shows that it’s private cars and not HGVs that are exceeding the speed limits. Police traffic cameras are being used to reduce accidents, and hence are deployed in the same places where accidents have occurred in the past. Brian would welcome suggestions for other locations to become Green Routes.

Matters arising:
• Rumbling Bridge Hydro Scheme: CC requires considerably more detail and regular updates to determine its position on community involvement.
• Outh Muir Wind Farm: John Anderson sent a report – the liaison group is currently discussing distribution of any potential Community benefit (estimated at £62,500 per annum) should the scheme go ahead. The Planning Application is expected to be submitted to Fife Council later this month. Next meeting of the liaison group is at 7pm on 10th June at Knockhill.
Blairadam wind farm will have eleven turbines with a height of 115 metres. Seven to nine will be visible from Yetts of Muckhart, four to six from Carnbo and one to three from Crook of Devon. At the presentation about the wind farm it emerged that the developer is substantially owned by a Canadian Pension Fund and the turbines would be constructed outwith Scotland! A PAN (Proposal of Application Notice) for this major scheme was registered on 23rd April, implying that the planning application could not be submitted before July.
Heads Hill Wind Farm – Proposal for 25 Turbines five miles North-west of Kinross, i.e. above Carnbo. Cllr Barnacle suggests that this is the same location as a previous scheme that was turned down. Kinross Civic Trust wants to arrange a joint meeting of Community Groups to discuss the further proliferation of wind farms in this area. It was agreed that the CC would attend.
• Blairingone War Memorial: Cllr Barnacle reported that he’d written to relevant parties to propose a site meeting to mark out the exact new location.
• Crook of Devon Church Car Park: No news yet from the church about funding.
• Signposting Core Paths and Rights of Way: George Harley has still not had the meeting with D Stubbs. Craigton Wood – The landowner had not been contacted, and did not wish a circular path to be constructed: legal advice was being taken. The CC had understood that a core path had been designated and that a meeting had been held with D Stubbs, and adjacent farmer, and others, on site. The CC had therefore put in place a working group from the Powmill area to take the mater forward. It was now apparent that agreement had not been reached with the land owner, and the CC therefore disbanded the working group. The CC unreservedly apologises to the landowner for any distress caused by this misunderstanding.
• Lambhill Wood Chip Plant at Blairingone: See planning notes below.
• Travellers’ Site at Crook Moss, Crook of Devon: Still awaiting the application to be resubmitted. Cllr Barnacle has requested a meeting with Nick Brian, PKC Forward Planning and local representatives to discuss the continued deferral of this application, and the proliferation of gypsy sites, which is due to take place later this month.
• Glenquey Quarry: The traffic and tourism report has been received. Alastair has replied on traffic matters. The next DMC meeting is 19th June, but it’s not yet known if this application will be on the agenda. Also noted that Cemex propose to extend the quarry near Falls of Clyde.
• Glendevon Pollution Incident: No progress to report.
• PKC Ground Maintenance Review: Response has been received from PKC that they are awaiting a detailed report after Committee decision.

CC Business: No meetings this month.

PKC Councillors’ reports:

Cllr M Barnacle: The resurfacing of the track between Naemoor Road and the River is still being held up by the landowner’s refusal to allow the contractor to access the site.
U231 passing places – Cllr Barnacle has been told that he can’t set up this meeting, it can only be arranged by Development Control, discussions continue.

Cllr W Robertson: Has suggested to PKC Roads department that they set up a “flying squad” of two or three workers who could quickly go and fix small problems without needing to arrange an external contractor – this idea will be carried forward. PKC has no policy on red squirrels, so Cllr Robertson is proposing some measures to be put in place to encourage reds and discourage greys.

Planning:

13/00970/FLL Erection of a dwelling house. Land 100 Metres South-east of Briglands Lodge, Crook of Devon. Application in principle for a house in the garden of Briglands House. A previous related application, 10/01768/IPL was rejected on the grounds that it detracted from a listed building. The Community Council did not comment on this application. The present application has been modified to take the planner’s comments into account.
No Community Council comment

13/00940/FLL Alterations and extension to dwelling house. Loaningbrae, Drum Kinross KY13 0UN
Removal of a garage and addition of three rooms to an existing house.
No Community Council comment

13/00839/FLL Alterations and extension to dwelling house. Tigeen, Main Street Blairingone Dollar FK14 7NU. Removal of a small, single storey extension and replacement with a larger one.
No Community Council comment

13/00830/FLL. Erection of a dwellinghouse. Land 800 Metres North-east of Blairingone Parish Church Main Street Blairingone. A 1.5 storey bed roomed house on a site beside a consented garage to the East of Blairingone Church. The site is outwith the settlement boundary and no justification is given under the Houses in the Countryside Policy other than being part of a group of buildings near the church. The site is within the Kinross Local Plan AGLV.
Since this application’s comment date was before this meeting, it was discussed by the CC members who agreed to Recommend Rejection, on the grounds that the application is contrary to the Kinross Local Plan, as it is within the AGLV and is outwith but adjacent to the Blairingone settlement boundary.

Lambhill, Blairingone

12/01354/FLL Storage of waste wood material on concrete hardstanding (in retrospect), land At Lambhill Blairingone for Barnhill Estates has been Given Approval.

PK/97/1665 Modification of existing consent to allow change of use of agricultural shed for the processing and storage of biomass materials, land at Lambhill, Blairingone for Barnhill Estates has been Withdrawn.

The CC considered that these two applications should have been taken as a single development. Activity related to the withdrawn application has been carried out on the site for some time and has been subject to scrutiny, but not stopped, by PKC. It is not at present clear what is now going to happen at this site. The CC should keep the matter under review. Cllr Barnacle spoke to Nick Brian who says that storage of approved material is acceptable, but not the previously proposed change of activity. Cllr Barnacle says that it would be a good idea to make a site visit along with PKC’s planner, enforcement officer, and CC representatives. The CC agrees.

Note: 11/01225/FLL Erection of dwelling house and garage. Land 420 Metres South-west of Middleton, Fossoway. This application was submitted in July 2011 and was not discussed at any CC meeting. It was given approval, without objection, in January 2013 and was only then brought to the CC’s attention. Following investigation, and thanks to Councillor Cuthbert, the CC has established that the application was listed properly but not picked up by the CC or others in the community. The site appears to have no “neighbours”.

13/0658 (from last month) The CC has written to PKC asking for clarification on the Report of Handling referring to traffic issues.

Correspondence: Full list was circulated to the attendees:
Kinross Curling Trust wrote asking for a letter of support to keep Curling in Kinross, which has been sent.
Michael Gallagher of CPKCC tells us that the CC can directly contact the Reporter to comment on the Local Development Plan, and the input will be considered.
Ricky Ross (of Deacon Blue) will be performing at Kinross-shire Music Festival 16th November

AOCB: Dates of future CC meetings were circulated – note that the November meeting will be the first Wednesday so as not to occur on the 5th.

Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting
• Welcome and Apologies
• Declarations of Interest
• Community Policing
• Minutes of last meeting
• Matters arising:
Rumbling Bridge Hydro Scheme, Outh Muir & Blairadam Wind Farms, Blairingone War Memorial
Crook of Devon Church Car Park, Signposting core paths and rights of way, Travellers’ Site Crook Moss
Glenquey Quarry, Glendevon Pollution Incident, Green routes
• Community Councillors - Meetings Attended
• PKC Councillors’ Reports
• Planning Applications
• Correspondence
• AOCB

Next Meeting: Tuesday 6th August, 7:30 pm
Carnbo Village Hall
No meeting in July due to Holidays
All welcome!