News & Minutes

Fossoway and District Community Council Meeting Minutes - August 2022

Draft Minutes for Fossoway and District Community Council (FDCC) meeting

Tuesday 2nd August, Crook of Devon Village Hall

Attending: Community councillors (CCllrs) Trudy Duffy, Sarah Bruce-Jones, Graham Pye, Nicola Marchant and Faiza Hansraj-Jackson; Assoc. Community CCllr Carol Farquar; Perth & Kinross (P&K) Councillors (Clr) Richard Watters and Willie Robertson and 18 members of the public.

Apologies: P&K Cllrs Dave Cuthbert and Neil Freshwater; CCllr Angus Cheape.

Declarations of interest: None

Police report: There were no incidents to note in our area since the last FDCC meeting from the Commander’s Reports received via P&K Community Watch. A member of the public reported an incident in Rumbling Bridge which was attended by ambulance, police cars and fire engine on 13th June which resulted in a closed farm road for four hours.

Action: CCllr Duffy to ask police for a proper report which should include such incidents.

Minutes of the previous meeting: The minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and signed off

Matters Arising

  • Community Development Trust (CDT): There will be an article in August and September issues of the Kinross newsletter providing more information about the CDT including how to join the trust (at a cost of £5 per household per annum). The trust is exploring both short- and long-term projects including leasing the Blairingone school building; the relevant paperwork raising an expression of interest has been submitted to the P&K council, which if successful, gives the community the opportunity to lease the building rather than it being sold. Community engagement on this is due to take place after feedback from P&K council. There is also a plan to establish a working group with membership from CDT, to produce an evidence-based report in line with LDP3. For more information on the CDT, contact Mike Barnacle or CCllrs Duffy & Marchant.
  • Fossoway Area Transport: There has been an extension of the 202-bus contract which covers the Fossoway area, with additional services in mornings and evenings which would allow pupils to use the bus as a school bus. The bus route has changed so it no longer includes Muckhart but goes through Blairingone and Powmill. The new services will start on 15th August and the timetable will be published in the Kinross newsletter. This contract extension would not have been possible without the support of the local community groups and the community are encouraged to continue to use the bus services.
  • Anti-social behaviour Fossoway Primary: There have been reports from local resident of children and young people playing loud music, shouting, kicking balls and playing basketball in the school grounds late in the evenings and occasionally very early in the morning. The residents have contacted the head teacher and the police to assist with this situation, as the noise is having a negative impact on them. This led to the school gates being closed outside of school hours, but now the gates are open again, the residents note the noisy behaviour has resumed. Note that the issue is not with the primary school itself, but with the young people who use the playground out of hours. Parents and members of the parent teacher association (PTA) do not support the closure of the school gates. The key issues this raises is the lack of suitable activities and areas for use by local young people. As the noise from the location of the basketball hoop was identified as a significant issue, it was suggested that the hoop could be relocated to another hard surface area, or for a new area to be created for this. One short term solution to this would be for PKC Cllrs to investigate if funding can be found to facilitate moving the hoop. In the longer term, there needs to be more spaces and activities available for young people in conjunction with the local community and volunteers would be needed to run educational activities. There are plans for the tennis club to expand their facilities, and Kythe could do some community outreach work. Waulkmill park could be used more by the local young people.

Action: CCllr Marchant will mention to Kythe at (Kinross and Glenfarg Stronger Communities Meeting).

  • Community Speedwatch: CCllr Duffy is still looking for volunteers to stand on the side of the road measuring speeds. For more information on this, contact CCllr Duffy.
  • Speeding in F&D area:
  • A977 Mitigation: FDCC has asked for an extension of the 40mph limit further along the B9097 towards Tullibole Castle. Whilst PKC did not consider this necessary, but they did agree to survey speeds on B9097. CCllr Bruce Jones confirmed that speed measuring lines have been put down on the B9097 from just past the 40mph at the Crook Moss entrance to past the Drum junction.

  • Carnbo: Local residents have written to FDCC detailing the history of speeding concerns in Carnbo, and confirmation that there is still no 30mph speed limit in place (with 40mph buffers on either end of the village) despite this being due in March 2022. An extension of the 30mph to the Village Hall has been requested and PKC agreed to speed monitoring on this section but agreed that this survey would not hold up the change from current 40mph to 30mph. No survey or speed measuring has been done to date. There were 9 Carnbo residents present at the meeting to raise this ongoing issue with FDCC and PKC and describe their personal experience of the impact of speeding. PKC report that this hasn’t been done because they don’t have enough officers working in Road Safety despite it being a community issue that is of great interest. There was suggestion that a police presence in the area might act as a deterrent to speeding, and this has also been identified as a resource issue.

    • Actions: CCllr Bruce Jones to bring this up at the next Kinross-shire Local Area Committee meeting; Cllr Watters to look up the date this was due to be completed and report to CCllr Duffy.
    • CCllr Duffy to address this with police representatives, and ask for findings/feedback from their visits to the community.

  • Rumbling Bridge Gorge Bridge: A site visit took place in July, with a suggestion to invite a bridge engineer to the FDCC meeting in September. The bridge will need to be wider and higher than the one that was previously there. One short term option is to ask the landowner to allow pedestrians through his land from near the existing bridge in the gorge to the Devon network which would lead to the main road.

    • Action: Mike Barnacle to arrange this meeting with the landowner to discuss this as a short-term option

  • Road Adoptions: We still do not know whether the spur of the U241 road in Drum is currently adopted by PKC. It’s noted that there are lampposts and footpath on the road, therefore it is possibly adopted by PKC.

    • Action: Cllr Robertson to find out and report back at the next FDCC meeting

  • Access to Cash in Kinross-shire: CCllr Marchant wrote to Bank of Scotland for feedback on finance support and mobile bank and has had no response

    • Action: CCllr Marchant will try to find someone else to contact
  • Fossoway Gathering: This will be held in Waulkmill Park, Crook of Devon, on Saturday 3rd September. CCllr Duffy is looking for volunteers to help dismantle after the event.

  • Concerns by local resident: A resident attended the FDCC meeting to voice complaints aimed at the FDCC around the CCs objection to planning applications he had made and “continued harassment” he had received. During this meeting the process of how FDCC respond to any PKC planning applications was explained (see section on planning for more information) and emphasised that FDCC look at any planning applications on the PKC website and only submit comments if planning applications are in contravention of the adopted local development plan and policies (e.g., LDP2). The FDCC has a code of conduct which all elected members sign up to.

    • Actions: This resident has asked the FDCC to discuss any issues with him personally, and CCllr Duffy will look up the complaints procedure for the FDCC and let the resident know what this involves.
  • Crook Moss travellers’ site: Assoc. CCllr Farquar visited the site. Mike Barnacle will share the response to a letter he wrote to Barbara Renton PKC.

New Business

Community Council Business

Kinross-shire Local Area Committee: CCllr Bruce Jones attended the virtual meeting held on Thursday 30 June. However due to a technical error by PKC in the Microsoft Teams set up it turned out that none of the CC representatives who attended were recorded as being present and had no opportunity to contribute. The meeting was very short as a result. An apology was received from PKC and Ward Councillors were made aware.

Items discussed included the Blairingone school building and possible community asset transfer and speeding issues. Agreed that Blairingone School Building will remain on the Agenda for future meetings. There should have been a full update on speeding issues and decisions made at this meeting but an update from PKC officers was not available.

The next meeting is due to take place at the end of August. Issues which will be raised include speeding issues and access to cash. If the community have any relevant issues to raise, please contact 'Fossoway Community Council' on the usual email address: fossoway.cc@gmail.com

P&K Councillors’ Reports

Cllr Richard Watters: Scottish Government has given PKC money this year, funding will be available to local groups for nature restoration projects in the area (e.g., local bloom groups). This is part of the Scottish biodiversity strategy which includes things like bird boxes and orchards (e.g., the new trees in Crook of Devon)

Cllr Willie Robertson: PKC is using a hybrid meeting system, i.e., a mixture of online and face-to face meetings, to reduce their carbon footprint. There have been local complaints about hedges being overgrown near pavements; the community is encouraged to trim these and tidy them up.

Planning applications: information for the public

Planning applications: the FDCC process

  • The FDCC receive weekly emails with the lists of valid planning applications and decisions when they are published
  • These lists are reviewed by CCllr Marchant every week in light of LDP2 (see above) and other policies and guidelines to advise whether the FDCC should submit a comment. A summary of this is shared with the FDCC seeking their comments and discussed and agreed at the next CC meeting.
  • Should a planning application comment date fall before a CC meeting, the CC shall hold email consultation and disclose this during the next meeting
  • For all planning applications, the FDCC can submit either no comment, a neutral comment, a supportive comment or an objection.
  • Although the FDCC’s comments on a planning application only count as one of the six comments required by PKC before an application is sent to Committee, the FDCC’s opinion is treated with some additional significance as it represents the wider views of the community.

Planning Applications and Decisions

Planning Applications

22/00673/FLL Erection of a dwelling house (in part retrospect) at Land 20 metres Northwest of Coach house Crook of Devon. No CC comment

22/00868/FLL Extension to dwelling house and erection of outbuilding at Firs of Viewfield Drum Kinross KY13 0UN. No CC comment

22/00909/FLL Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse at Am Bothan Crook of Devon Kinross KY13 0UL. No CC comment

22/00771/FLL Part change of use and alterations to building and stores to form events venue with holiday accommodation units and storage areas, formation of parking area, landscaping and associated works at The Old Coach House Lendrick Muir Rumbling Bridge Kinross KY13 0QA 

This application is supported by a planning statement which states that they wish to increase accommodation to enable small groups of people to use it as a retreat with a meeting room which could accommodate 40 people.

We are concerned that this expansion will significantly increase the volume of traffic on Naemoor Road which is a narrow road with a bridge that has a 10T weight limit and hence could be contrary to Policy 8. It is not possible to ascertain from the planning statement if the addition of the meeting room will increase traffic volume and associated deliveries or will be used by people who already stay in accommodation provided by Lendrick Muir. Neutral Comment

22/01111/FLL Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse at Sheil Briglands Rumbling Bridge Kinross KY13 0PS. No CC comment.

22/01009/IPL Erection of a dwellinghouse and garage (in principle) at Land 35 Metres South West of Tethyknowe House Blairingone

22/01010/IPL Erection of a dwellinghouse (in principle) at Land 40 Metres South East of Tethyknowe House Blairingone

The Fossoway and District Community Council will record a neutral comment regarding these in principle applications. As any buildings would be in a rural location, we would like to ensure that we safeguard our natural habitat and promote biodiversity. We would therefore recommend that the following conditions apply to ensure dwellings blend into the existing community:

Houses should be 1.5 storey and use materials that are consistent with other properties in the settlement group

Sustainable Development principles as defined in PKC policies should be adhered to

A positive contribution to the biodiversity of the site should be included in design of houses i.e., bird boxes; planting of native trees and shrubs

As the plots are reached via a 1.5-2mile single track road that is heavily used by the local farmers adequate passing places should be incorporated.

CCllr Pye declared an interest in the two applications above and therefore did not participate in the decision.

22/01094/FLL Change of use, alterations and extension to agricultural building to flexible commercial use, formation of parking area and associated works at Land 55 Metres South East of Solsgirth Home Farm Solsgirth

CC made a supportive comment – this appears to be a well-constructed case for expansion of a rural business taking into consideration biodiversity and providing an educational component as well as local jobs.

Planning Decisions

21/02187/IPL Renewal of permission 18/01855/IPL (Residential development) at Land 100 Metres North West Of Schiehallion Crook Of Devon. Approved. The CC objected.

22/00540/FLL Erection of fence at Linnbank Main Street Crook Of Devon Kinross KY13 0UQ. Approved. CC made no comment

22/00541/FLL Erection of 3 agricultural buildings and stables, formation of access track and associated works at Land 360 Metres South West of Craigton House Rumbling Bridge. Approved CC made no comment

22/00909/FLL Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse at Am Bothan Crook Of Devon Kinross KY13 0UL. Approved CC made no comment

22/00823/FLL Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse at 1 Barnhill Farm Powmill Dollar FK14 7NS. Approved CC had made no comment

22/00868/FLL Extension to dwellinghouse and erection of outbuilding at Firs of Viewfield Drum Kinross KY13 0UN Approved CC made no comment

Local Review Board Meeting 11th July 2022

Application Ref: 21/00001/FLL – S42 application to delete condition 6 (access upgrade) of permission 20/01319/FLL, land 180 metres south west of Powmill Cottage, Rumbling Bridge

This has been an outstanding LRB agenda item for some time. We objected to the removal to delete condition 6 which was the upgrade of Craigton Farm Lane to a standard which could be adoptable by PKC. Decision by the LRB was deferred until written view from transport and site visit.

Matters Arising with no update since last meeting

Fossoway and District Community Council Benefit Fund, Kinross-shire Area Committee, Flooding in Drum, A977 mitigation measures, Crook & Drum Growing Together, Hedges from Rumbling Bridge to Muckhart, Devonshaw Whinstone Quarry, Closure of road to Fossoway Primary School during school hours, Speed limit at Millennium Walk, War Memorial

Correspondence: Nothing to note other than included above. Due to the period covered by this meeting, the Correspondence list is not included here, but can be provided on request.

AOCB:

  • Members of the community asked if the VAR can be moved in Carnbo
  • A member of the community reported that the B9097 40mph sign is too close to the U241 junction in Drum and has asked for this to be moved.

Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting: Declarations of Interest,** Community Policing, Minutes of last meeting. Matters arising: Access to Cash in Kinross, Community Development Trust, Fossoway Area Transport, A977 Mitigation, Crook Moss, Carnbo Speeding. Drum Flooding, Speedwatch, Kinross Area Committee. PKC Councillors’ Reports, Planning, Correspondence, AOCB

Next Meeting: Tuesday 6th September 2022 7:30pm, Carnbo Village Hall. All welcome!

More information on the FDCC and meeting dates available here: [https://www.fossoway.org/community-council/](https://www.fossoway.org/community-council/)**

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