Online Petition - Say No to the Mobile Phone Mast Near Forthill Primary School

Vodaphone/O2 put forward a planning application in January 2011 to build a 3G mobile phone mast in the grounds of Forthill Sports Club close to Forthill Primary School. Dundee City Council's Planning Committe unanimously rejected the application at its meeting in March, based on visual appearance and insensitive location.

Vodaphone/O2 (in partnership with Forthill Sports Club) have now appealed against the City Council's decision.

Members of the Parent Council at Forthill Primary School have organised an online petition, which they intend to forward to the appeal.

If you would like to support their campaign, please go to the online petition and sign up. Deadline for comments and responses is Wednesday 6th July.

Panmurefield Planning Appeal Decision

The planning appeal by developers for outline permission to build 20 detached houses in Panmurefield in the open space to the south of the Dighty and north of Inchcape Road in Broughty Ferry has been refused by a Planning Reporter. This appeal was initiated by the developer following the original refusal of outline planning consent by the City Council. In his summary, the Planning Inspector, wrote: "All of the site is designated as open space and as a wildlife corridor. The Development Plan presumes against the development of such land. Greenfield sites such as this are only considered for development where (unlike in the case of the appeal proposal) this has been demonstrated to be essential in order to provide adequate effective development land. ... I also consider that it would be inappropriate to accept the principle of developing this site when this would necessitate alterations to a listed building of which no details are known. The lack of information on the site access (which is likely to be unacceptably at risk of flooding) adds weight to my conclusion that the appeal should be dismissed."

Caffe Nero 209 Brook Street, B/Ferry - Planning Appeal Granted

Coffee chain Nero Holdings, owners of Caffe Nero, in Broughty Ferry, have been granted planning permission, on appeal, for the use of a paved outdoor seated area to the rear of the cafe. In a letter dated 8 October to the Dundee City Council, Scott M Ferrie, a Reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers, who adjudicated the appeal, granted the company planning permission, but with conditions. While he agreed with the Council that the use of the outdoor seated area would change the character of the rear courtyard, he did not consider that residents above commercial premises in such locations could reasonably expect to benefit from the the same level of residential amenity as residents in more suburban settings. He imposed a condition that the outside seated area should not be used between the hours of 18:00 and 09:00.