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Kenmore & District Community Council

Covering Kenmore, Acharn and immediate area

Taymouth Castle Update

Members of the Community Council meet regularly with representatives of Taymouth Castle Golf and Sport Club to discuss latest developments and plans for the estate, and to represent local resident's views. The notes of these meetings are recorded here. If you have any specific questions for the estate please email: colinmcmorton@gmail.com and we will raise them at our next meeting.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting - 11 February 2025

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate (TCE); Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, TCE; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC; Elisabeth Knox TCE.

1. The reinstatement plan for the borrow pits at Inchadney Park has been published for comments on the PKC planning portal. This includes proposed amendments to some of the conditions in the origin planning consent largely to extend the reinstatement period to 36 months, and to propose a programme of archaeological assessment of the site. Infill materials would come from house building works on the main estate. Unsightly sand and earth mounds at the borrow pits would disappear quickly in the early stages of the reinstatement.

Objections to the original application had been mostly around visual impact, perceived environmental damage to the river Tay, and archaeological assessment. The CC wanted to inspect the new proposals in more detail but, on first sight, it appeared that most of these concerns had been addressed.

2. TCE has installed new rubbish bins at the beach and an additional defibrillator will also be sited near the beach later in February.

3. Following requests from the community TCE has undertaken an initial accessibility assessment at the beach area to improve access for wheelchairs and push chairs.

4. An initial asessment of the Gallops path and lower North Terrace has been undertaken and it is hoped that work to clear both and improve the surfaces can be scheduled.

5. A request to remove a tree at the top of Taymouth Drive was considered by TCE  but the tree is part of a Tree Protection Order which prevents it being felled.  

6. Work on the golf course is now almost complete with only detailing attention required before it goes into maintenance mode. The planning application for the golf maintenance buildings is at pre-application stage  with PKC.

7. The CC asked if there was any possibility of the community being given use of the Paperboat as a temporary hub until the changes to Taymouth Trading can be made.  David said that the building was in very poor state and would require substantial works to make it suitable. He considered that the idea had merit but was not practicable, nor was it use that DLC felt was the highest and best for the location. 

8.The next estate newsletter will be distributed at the end of March.

9. Renovation work on the Kenmore telephone box has revealed that parts of the cast iron structure are compromised and would need remanufactured. This would add to the costs but the estate will still meet the full costs of renovation. Unfortunately, this will delay the box's return to the village for a few months.

 

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting - 9 January 2025

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC.

Aplogies: Nick Hedgeley, Taymouth Castle Estate.

1. TCE will install 12 new bins at the beach/car park and toilet areas once temperatures rise. Works to install an AED (defibrillator) at the public toilets, replace broken parking bollards at the beach car park and install a ramp for ease of access onto the beach from the car park path are imminent.

2. Christmas lights in the village were being removed and would be stored at the Castle until next Christmas.

3. Tree clearance works are being undertaken along pathways etc. The Council requested that some maintenance works be made on the gallops walkway where some fallen tree work and path restoration was required.

4. A reinstatement plan for the borrow pit will be submitted to PKC by end January. Although sand trucking has ceased there will still be some limited and infrequent movement of already-mined gravel and top for roads within the estate. Some sand is being sourced from Alloa at the rate of around 1-2 truckloads per week.

5. Earth moving at the golf course has ceased and major work on the course should be completed by the end of January when golf works contractors will remove the yard storage and equipment.

6. Taster golf sessions, delivered by Taymouth Castle PGA coaches junior golf programme have commenced,with 4-week sessions starting in Aberfeldy with P3 and P4s and Grandtully. It is hoped that this initiative will become part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme for youth volunteers.

7. The estate will provide food and other support for a Burns supper for Kenmore Primary School pupils and parents in February. It will also continue to support the Warm Welcome lunches at the Reading Rooms.

8. It is intended that the current western access road to the castle will end at the playing fields due to reconfiguration of the golf course. An alternative access link road will go from the new west gate round the east side of Hangman’s Hill and meet up with the old roadway. There will be no impact on the core paths.

9. House building on the estate will start in the first quarter of 2025. Duration of building works will depend upon sales of plots and may be spread over a number of years.

10. The estate is working on plans to remove some of the fencing along the core paths where this can be done safely. In some areas the tall Heras fences may be replaced with less obtrusive low level fencing or hedging.

11. Once finished, the telephone box will be replaced in its original plot. Following limited feedback on purpose the Community Council has asked that the box be fitted out as both a book swap library and an information kiosk. A map of the area and its facilities and amenities is being prepared for mounting on a board beside the telephone box.

12. David informed the Council that it was unlikely there would be any movement on reopening Taymouth Trading as a village pub in 2025. This was due to competing priorities within their development programme. The Council expressed its deep disappointment at the news and underlined that this remained a priory for villagers following the closing of the hotel.

13. The possibilities for siting new remembrance benches was discussed. Suitable areas were becoming limited and new opportunities may need to be found. Suggestions included the grass area between the orphanage and church but the owners’ permission would need to be sought first.

14. The estate is liaising with the Reading Rooms with regards to gutter/drainpipe works at the rear of the buildingat the and is liaising with Jon Iddon on other works, and arrangements for the replacement of the old piano.

15. A planning application for the siting of a storage container for the village resilience contingency plans is being prepared. The Council thanked the estate and McKenzie Strickland Architects for their assistance in this.

16. Shirley said that a meeting of the Kenmore Business Group was being prepared.

 

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting - 3 December 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC; Nick Hedgeley, Taymouth Castle Estate.

1. The meeting noted that the Protect Loch Tay pressure group had folded because of lack of support.

2. The movement of sand from Alloa will cease on 4 December. There are a further 10 or so days of truck movements from the borrow pit before the golf course is finished. A reinstatement plan for the pit is being prepared for submission to PKC.

3. The golf course maintenance building planning application is at pre-app stage with PKC.

4. The main application for the operations village at Newhall is also still with PKC. The design statements in the accompanying application provide a good outline of what is proposed but more detail will be included in the full application when it is released by PKC. The new ‘village” description for this development may have misled some to think there are houses proposed, but this is not the case.

5. TC will be meeting with the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust to discuss access and proposals for a new path to the Crannog.

6. The newly repaired and restored Christmas lampost light fitments and festoon lights are in the process of being installed by the castle maintenance team. Lights to celebrate the bridge’s anniversary are also being put up. All will be illuminated at the Christmas Fair on Saturday 7 Dec.

7. Repairs to the stone storm defences at the Paperboat are being made following storm damage last year.

8. Repairs to the stone work on Deer Park Bridge within the Estate are also ongoing.

9. Mairi presented a draft graphic map for an information board for the Kenmore village square. This illustrates leisure and hospitality opportunities for visitors. A location for the map would need to be agreed and the restored telephone box was considered a good option. Colin mentioned that the CC had plans to produce a series of leaflets that would compliment the map. This should be discussed with the Business Group at its next meeting.

10. David was asked about progress on street furniture and new signage. He responded that this would be included with the plans being developed for the hotel restoration and reopening, hopefully in 2026.

11. Planning permission for the Zone4 houses has been approved by PKC.

12. The estate has given permission for the triathlon event to be accommodated in August 2025.

13. Some tree work will commence early in the New Year at the West Gate in response to requests by neighbours.

14. The church building survey organised and paid for by TC has now been completed. It is now up to the Church of Scotland to assess its results and decide any action required.

15. The winter newsletter is now being distributed to local households. Copies will also be available at all Kenmore businesses.

16. Kenmore Primary School kids recently had tour of the castle which they greatly enjoyed.

17. The estate has agreed to support the Kenmore Warm Welcome sessions at the Reading Rooms once again with teas, coffees and food, and will donate a new (and much needed) coffee machine.

18. The telephone box has been removed to the castle's workshops for renovation and will be reinstalled soon. This news had prompted many very favourable comments online.

19. The CC thanked the estate, and Mairi in particular, for all their help with the meticulous preparations for the Kenmore Christmas celebrations, which looked to be even better than previous years.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting - 30 October 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC; Nick Hedgeley, Taymouth Castle Estate.
 
1. The castle open day had been very positively received by visitors with lots of very complimentary feedback. More than 500 people had been on the tour and almost £2,000 had been donated to the Air Ambulance, which was matched by Taymouth Castle, bring the total raised to £4,000.

2. David met with John Swinney to update him on progress. Separately, Mr Swinney had written to P&KC enquiring about protestors’ claims that Environmental Impact Assessments had not been adequately carried out for castle planning applications. The council had provided a comprehensive response setting out its position. 

3. The remaining mined sand in the borrow pit will be moved to complete the golf course over the next 15-20 days. Construction work on the course will complete by the end of the year. Extraction from the pit has ceased. P&KC has asked for the reinstatement plan to be submitted by the end of the year.

4. Infrastructure work (elelctricity, broadband, water and sewage) on Zone 4 housing should commence shortly.

5. The plans for the 'back of house' buildings at Newhall should be submitted next week. 

6. Core paths - significant tree work is required on the south path and will be scheduled. Tree work at the top of Taymouth Drive and near the sports pavilion will also shortly take place.

7. The broadband cable installation work is now complete.
 
8. A localised power outage scheduled by SSEN for 10 November between 9am and 4pm will affect lights and hand driers at the public toilets.
 
9. The castle estate golf team are about to provide free grassroots golf lessons at the local schools in the New Year. This was considered a great idea.
 
10. The estate will partake in a forthcoming deer management programme organised by the Breadalbane Deer Management Group.

11. Mairi was thanked for her excellent input into planning for the Kenmore Christmas Market. Posters are almost ready for display. This year looks set to build on previous successes.

12. Work by the estate maintenance team to renovate the Kenmore telephone box is set to start in November.   This is something the Council was keen to see, adding to the other improvements that have contributed to the newly revitalised village square.
 
13. David asked when the business group would be reconvened. Shirley said that it was hoped to have another meeting once Christmas was over.
 
14. The next newsletter is due to be distributed early December.

 

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting - 25 September 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC; Nick Hedgeley, Taymouth Castle Estate.

1. David introduced Nick Hedgeley the new Director of Community Safety and Security. Nick was welcomed to Kenmore and the CC looked forward to working with him.

2. Local residents should receive the Autumn Taymouth newsletter which includes details of registration for the castle open day on 12 October. Residents can register from 12noon on 1st October on the Welcome to Taymouth website. Knowing how much local interest there is about the castle renovations, and that many local people have never before seen the inside of the castle, the CC had been keen to see this for some time. It was delighted that the estate has embraced this initiative. The tour will last around 90 minutes and provide opportunities to see the renovations and meet the artisans involved. It is hoped that 400 people can be accommodated. Another smaller event is being arranged for those local people who work directly with the Castle team, local businesses and community councils. The council noted that the quarterly newsletters had been very well received.

3. The estate admitted that the contractors may have dug deeper at the Inchadney borrow pit than the planning permission allowed. They put this down to lack of supervision and have said that they admit the error and will accept whatever consequences PKC consider appropriate. This is an isolated incident.

The requirement for sand for the golf course is almost finished and a reinstatement plan is being prepared for submission to PKC. The recent application for extension of the pit had been prepared as ‘belt n braces’ contingency plan but confirmation that the sand requirement had reduced had prompted its withdrawal.

4.  The estate showed outlined the revised proposals for the golf maintenance facility. This will now be split into two facilities, one much smaller single story facility at the original site and another larger one, part underground, nearer the castle. The main facility will now be the one near the castle. The one near Taymouth Drive will be only one-fifth or less of the original plan and will be largely for storage only. It won’t require constant access. Measures to mitigate noise, lights, visual impact etc have been incorporated. While feedback from residents on the new proposals was not yet known, the CC considered that all the previous comments and feedback had been addressed and it was grateful for the consideration given to neighbours’ concerns.

The new plans still include outline proposals for the H42 social housing area and the estate re-affirmed its commitment to this project, and its willingness to work with the CC and any housing associations to help realise its success. The CC noted that, contrary to protestors claims, this important aspiration for affordable social housing was closer than ever to fruition.

5. Over the next few weeks an application to re-zone Moness to mixed use tourism/housing will be lodged. Public consultation will take place. 

6. Planning proposals for the back-of-house facilities at Newhall will be lodged in October. Significant changes have been made following the pre-application public consultation. Excavation works are currently underway to install HV cabling and preparations for directional drilling – in the Newhall area, as per planning consent – therefore some closures are in place to ensure public safety in this area.

7. Rumours of loss of access to core paths have been put about although there is no evidence to support these. There may have been some confusion over the Zone 3 access plan - which only related to zone 3 and not the wider estate. David, once again, repeated clear assurances that there are no proposals to curtail the core paths and that the estate remains fully committed to protecting, improving and even extending the path network. Mairi showed some visuals which illustrate the new interpretive and route signage which support this intent. Work to make safe trees, improve surfaces, install water stations and build bridges is already underway. Work to clear damaged, dying and dangerous trees near Mains of Taymouth was also in train. The CC passed on a third-party complaint about the state of the walking surfaces at the Gallops, but there were no other incidents reported.

8. The objections to the estate’s planning application for housing at Zone 3 were discussed. No objections or comments had been raised by local residents through the council. Many of the objections formally lodged regarded access (see above) and flooding issues. The CC has discussed the flooding issue many times with the developers and PKC and know they are liaising closely over the details. The CC noted that that SEPA’s objections appear to be about policy on building houses on land prone to flood, and not about possible downstream impacts. The CC said that it had decided that this is a complicated area in which it had no expertise and was happy to leave the issue to the flood experts. The CC noted that PKC had come under much undue criticism from individuals and protest groups recently, similar to those its members have had to endure. It stated that it has regular conversations and a very good working relationship with PKC over the castle development, and the CC has greatly appreciated its assistance and advice. Contrary to some of the very unfair and unfounded accusations being promoted, the CC considered that PKC has been rigorous, fair and responsible in its approach.

9. The broadband works at the back of Taymouth Drive has started. This has prompted a noise complaint from a home-worker living nearby. Mairi apologised and undertook to provide better advance notice of any noisy works in the future.

10. The Fishing application on the ‘Welcome to Taymouth’ website is being improved to take in feedback and make it easier to use.

11. The estate had contacted the relatives of those named on the memorial benches near the beach to inform them of necessary repairs and replacements but three remained without contact details. Fiona Smith had tracked down relatives of the three remaining memorial benches and they had been written to. One response had already been received.

12. The Kenmore Hotel sign at ‘Garage corner’ had been removed by the estate. The CC is keen to have the remaining signage tidied up to provide a better first impression of the village. This would be an issue for the newly formed business group.

13. Ballintaggart, the new leaseholder for the village shop has said that it is very pleased with the trade and support it has received so far.

14. The quiet winter season will be used to re-paint the floors at the re-developed toilets which were showing some wear and tear. Glad to report that no damage or vandalism had been experienced, although we do seem to go through an awful lot of toilet rolls! The new conveniences have been greatly appreciated by visitors and beach users as a big improvement.

15. The excavation works near Chinese Bridge are part of the golf course irrigation works and will provide the water intake. These works had been previously been given planning permission.

16. The CC explained that the Kenmore resilience project is underway. Permission to install a log burner in the Reading Rooms been given and a storage container would shortly be installed near the sports pavilion with the kind permission of the Sports Association. This would be used to store equipment and supplies in case of an extreme weather emergency.

17. The CC explained the process involved in the Glen Lyon, Loch Tay and Kenmore Community Action Plan project which is about to kick off.  

18. David confirmed that he would attend the regular CC meeting on 26 September and would, as usual, be glad to take any questions or meet people informally afterwards. 

Kenmore and District Community Council/Taymouth Castle Estate Liaison Meeting - 19 August 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Colin Morton, KDCC

1.In response to recent claims over loss of access on the estate the developers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the core paths and right to roam. There was no change in their stated position on access. Details of curtilage were still under discussion with PKC. Claims of loss of one third of core paths were unsubstantiated and no details had been provided as to where the loss was supposed to occur.

2. Another patch of Japanese Knotweed near the hotel had been noted, as advised by a local resident and will be treated as part of the ongoing work to remove non-native invasive species by the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative.

3. There had been threats on social media of cutting locks on the gates on the South diverted core path which are currently restricting access. It was stressed that these temporary restrictions are for walkers’ safety while construction work was ongoing and any unauthorised removal of locks could endanger visitors. 
After discussion with PKC, scheduled broadband works on the South riverside core path will now only expect full closure for 2 weeks affecting the section of path 20 metres either side of the point where its adjacent to the Dairy (dates to be advised). For the rest of the works scheduled, the core path will remain open, with Heras fencing as protection and small diversions around the fencing for walkers.

4. After local safety concerns about the vegetation at garage corner work had been carried out to cut the growth back and restore sight lines. Similar work requested at St Margaret’s on Pier Road had been delayed because of nesting birds but is scheduled around 29th August

5. Average trucking movements from Inchadney was around 32 per day or 194 per week. This would decrease soon.

6. Survey work on Chinese Bridge revealed that the foundations had shifted and the bridge was in a much worse state than had previously been thought. Costs to rebuild the bridge to historic building standards would be prohibitive at present.

7. The project to repair and replace the memorial benches near the beach had progressed but there remained three benches for which no relatives had been found. The CC undertook to do some detective work. 

8. New rubbish bin designs to replace the old bins near the beach and village square area had been approved by PKC. The estate would pay for these and PKC would continue to empty them.

9. The CC had questions about arrangements for the new bus stops on the A827. This needed to be raised with PKC as it was its responsibility. The CC undertook to find out more.

10. The estate had very positive meetings with PKC transport officials about extending castle employee transport arrangements with non-employees, effectively extending local bus services for everyone. Legal and other implications would have to be considered. The CC was keen to see this put into play if practicable.
11. A recent specialist deer survey had revealed that the local herd was healthy and there were no concerns for its wellbeing.

12. The estate was thanked for its work to repair, replace and paint the white fences at the Reading Rooms and around the village square.

13. The estate has offered to pay for a full building survey of Kenmore Church and was waiting to hear back.

14. The September newsletter will detail arrangements for the castle open days for local residents.

15. The estate has provided concrete pads for the new recycling hub at Fearnan.

16. Current full time staff numbers on the estate are 168 employees, not counting construction workers or contractors. The requirement for hospitality staff was discussed. It was agreed that this is a national, and even international, concern exacerbated by covid employment change patterns. Although accommodation is clearly one issue there are other factors including rural situations such as ours being uninviting for young people long-term.

17. Concept plans for Taymouth Trading are near completion. The CC looked forward to seeing these.

18. The estate and CC are looking at ways to celebrate the 250 year anniversary of Kenmore Bridge. One option was special lighting around Christmas time. Some investigation of previous electrical supplies was required.  

A Christmas planning meeting is arranged for 22 August.

 

Kenmore and District Community Council/Taymouth Castle Estate Liaison Meeting - 22 July 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC

1. Progress in many areas is good but there were few new items to report.

2. The new speed restrictions on sand trucks on the back road has been to good effect with greatly reduced noise levels over potholes. CC expressed its thanks to the estate and Cross Civils for this.

3. Details of reinstatement plans for the borrow pits at Inchadney are being prepared and will be presented to the CC shortly.

4. Broadband fibre installation to the castle will require some temporary disruption to the north core path. This is expected to last around 5-6 weeks. Signage will be constantly updated and will indicate alternative routes.

5. The overgrown path on the north river terrace was discussed. There had been requests to further clear foliage but the estate said this was not on its workplan.

6. There had been a few requests for cutting back the hedge on Pier Road and foliage at Garage Corner. David confirmed that this work had already been identified and was scheduled once checks for nesting birds had been carried out.

7. All the hanging baskets have been installed and planted up, and five new large planting boxes were now in situ. These will be planted up within a few days.

8. The estate ornithologist had confirmed that no sand martins were present on the estate. Concern for the birds had held up progress reducing the sand piles on the golf course but this work would now recommence. 

9. The estate is in the process of contacting the owners of memorial benches at the beach that are in need of repair or replacement, through the memorial bench dept at PKC. Bins at the beach will also be replaced, following guidance from PKC

 

10. The new toilets have been respected by users with no damage or vandalism being reported.

 

11. Fishing permit numbers remain low with no more than 13 permits requested per week in the last month. Only 2-3 local permits per week were being requested.

12. Tree work requested by residents at the back of Taymouth Drive was now complete. Logs had been left for use by neighbours but would be removed if still remaining in 3-4 weeks.

13. Work to repair the fence at the Reading Rooms was about to start. The CC was grateful for the attention as finding local volunteers to do this kind of work was proving difficult.

14. The front nine holes of the golf course were almost complete and ready for seeding, contrary to many rumours, with UK grass.

15. The new West Gate was almost complete. A new bus stop will be created near the entrance.

16. The last Taymouth newsletter had been well received with very positive feedback. Arrangements to give it a wider circulation than before are proving effective. The next edition is planned for September.

17. The village shop had its official opening last month and this had been well attended with adults and children. Feedback has been very positive and Ballintaggart is still looking for suggestions of items to stock.

19. Arrangements for the castle open days in the autumn are being finalised. Dates and invitation arrangements will be confirmed in the September newsletter.
 

 Next meeting - TBA

Kenmore and District Community Council/Taymouth Castle Estate Liaison Meeting - 26 June, 2024

1. The castle is now officially opened and taking guests.

2. The estate intends to hold an open day at the castle for local residents in September or October. Invitations will be sent to a similar distribution to the newsletter mailing list. It is hoped to manage 300-500 visitors during the event with guided tours. Visitors will be able to meet some of the artisans responsible for the extensive restoration work.

3. The latest, Summer Taymouth Estate newsletter has been distributed with the same outreach as the Spring edition, which extends from Killin to Pitnacree. An online version is planned to also be available.

4. The shop has opened and has had a very positive reception from the community. The pavement outside the shop has been greatly improved and has new picnic benches. Further picnic benches are now avilable in the Reading Rooms' gardens. The official opening will be on the 27 June with free ice cream. All welcome to attend.

5. Trees at back of Taymouth Drive - David apologised as the tree work had been delayed due to difficulty obtaining a cherry picker. It is now scheduled for July.

6. Fishing permits - the online booking system appears to be working well with relatively low numbers.

7. The estate has installed 50 hanging flower baskets in the village.

8.  The estate has offered to repair and paint the fence at the Reading Rooms, and this was gratefully accepted.

9. A QR code will be posted at the public toilets to encourage donations to the Crannog centre.

10.  Golf Maintenance Building - a new planning application is near completion and will be presented to the Community Council when ready. This takes into account the feedback received from the previous application, which was withdrawn.

11. Peter Ely has spoken with PKC about the estate’s proposals for new rubbish bins in the village and beach area. This has been approved in principle by PKC as long as the new bins meet certain requirements/specifications.

12. The estate has committed to paying for a structural survey of Kenmore Church. It awaits further information from the presbytery.

13. Support will be provided again this year for the Highland Games with grass cutting, car parking provision and financial assistance. 

14. Core Paths - A new plan is being prepared to indicate arrangements for public access, and will be published onthe Taymouth website shortly. The core paths will be maintained and public 'right to roam' fully respected. The paths will be opened as soon as it is safe to do so.

15. The Community Council is struggling with the problem of storage for things such as the christmas lights, tables etc. David untertook to look at the possibility of providing a spare container, should one become available. 

16. Bat and Sand Martin surveys are ongoing within the estate.

17. The planning application for an extension to the borrow pit at Inchadney was discussed. By end July most of the sand requirements for the golf course should be complete and the requirement for materials from the pit should reduce. However, further material will still be required. The current arrangements had worked reasonably well and had raised few complaints in the community but the Council raised concerns about noise and road safety should an extension be granted. This particularly affected properties on the roadside at the west end of thre U177.   David undertook to provide an urgent estimate of future trucking movements and the Council will consider putting a request for mitigation to the planning authority.

 

Kenmore and District Community Council/Taymouth Castle Estate Liaison Meeting - 30 May 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Colin Morton, KDCC

  1. Public toilets are now open and being utilised. Opening hours are 8am to 8pm. Although there is no charge for use the idea of inviting donations, possibly online via a QR code, was discussed. If this could work the funds could go towards community projects.
  2. The shop is being stocked and there is a target date opening date of 12 June. The open evening to introduce the new management and take local views was well attended.
  3. The fishing permit system seems to be working well with good feedback. The restriction on no wading has been lifted.
  4. The trees causing issues for neighbours on Taymouth Drive are due to be tended to in the second half of  June.
  5. Planning applications - most of the temporary applications have been approved, and the alcohol licensing application. An amended application for the golf maintenance building is still being developed and the Community Council will have early sight of the plans. This is likely to be sometime in June.
  6. Core paths - the estate is meeting with Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust to discuss ideas for the path network. The core paths will be reinstated and the Countryside Code will be fully respected. Measures will also be taken to increase accessibility to the paths to ensue they are available to a wider range of folk to enjoy.
  7. There was a dust issue recently during the dry spell and measures were taken to mitigate, including reducing vehicle speeds.
  8. The beach bins are badly in need of replacement. The estate is willing to do this but liaison with P&K Council will be required. Peter Ely undertook to kick this off.
  9. The estate will, once again, support the Kenmore Highland Games, including cutting the grass beforehand.
  10. The next meeting of the Christmas Market commitee is scheduled for mid-June.
  11. Some of the memorial benches near the beach area are in need of attention and possibly re-siting. The estate is trying to trace owners/family members to discuss arrangements. If anyone has any information please let the Community Council know or contact the estate direct.
  12. The estate is unable to remove all the signs at the south end of the beach  without contacting owners but will remove the Kenmore Hotel sign in the meantime.
  13. The next community newsletter will be issued late June. Issues with distribution will be taken up with the Royal Mail. Mairi would try to obtain bulk copies for Mains of Taymouth, Kenmore Club and the Marina.
  14. The estate confirmed that it had no involvement with the issues with supplying broadband to the Balnaskeag area. This is believed to be an issue with a private owner.

Next meeting - TBA

Kenmore and District Community Council/Taymouth Castle Estate Liaison Meeting - 29 April 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC

 

1. The next estate newsletter is due around 13 May and will be distributed to residents in all six community councils.

2. The Welcome to Taymouth website has been updated with additions to the FAQ and community commitment sections.

3. The expected economic impact assessment (EIA) is now complete. A summary will be provided (now available here) to key stakeholders. The evaluation has been carried out by a specialist independent company, EKOS of Glasgow, and identifies the significant economic benefits of the Taymouth development.

4. Beach toilets are near completion and just await the delivery of hand driers which should happen this week. A temporary safety gate has been erected by the roadside and this will be replaced by a more permanent steel gateway which will be sourced locally. The toilets will be maintained and cleaned by estate staff and an emergency 'out-of-hours' number will be provided. The Community Council expressed its thanks for this important addition to village facilities.

5. The frontage of the village shop has been re-harled before repainting and the interior is under construction. A community meeting is planned for 9 May to introduce opening and management arrangements.

6. Trees at the back of Taymouth Drive - following requests by residents some trees have been identified for felling or trimming to increase light and reduce nuisance to neighbouring properties. The work will be factored into the estate maintenance plans.

7. Five fishing permits have been issued this season - all to visitors or Mains of Taymouth owners.

8. Flowers and hanging baskets are due soon to be provided in the village square.

9. Golf maintenance building planning application - the feedback received from residents, the Community Council, and P&K Council planning dept have been taken into account and a new revised planning application will be lodged soon. The community council will be given early sight of the proposals.

10. The community council had asked for more details regarding the soil mound at the foot of Taymouth Drive. This soil is being stored to be used in the development of the golf course back-nine holes. The estate apologised for the visual impact but assure us that this is temporary and that the mound will reduce in size as the soil/sand is used. The movement of material from Inchadney is due to be complete by July and the mound will further reduce from then.  

11. Good progress is being made at the new West Gate and new roadway signage has been ordered. Following residents’ complaints about bright lights adjustments were made to these to mitigate.

12. The Castle Estate is fully committed to the Loch Tay Association new code of conduct. The possibilities for promoting the code more actively were discussed and this would be followed up in due course.

13. Paths - New interpretation signage was being developed to improve visitor experience. This will include infomation on the heritage of the castle and estate. Possible sites for the provision of water bottle refilling stations are also being investigated.

14. The council is keen to improve path access for less-able people and for wheelchairs, particularly to the Gallops pathways. It was agreed that this would be looked at, including getting clarity on land ownership in that area.

15. The estate confirmed that a footbridge was still planned for the steep area beside the old sawmill on the South pathway.

16. Heavy trucks had been seen heading East on the U177 near Balloch Park. It was confirmed that no materials were being taken from this site for anywhere other than the castle grounds (subsequently confirmed post-meeting). Return trips were being used for replacement materials to reinstate the borrow pits but only as soil was made available. The council requested further information on the schedule for reinstatement, which is a condition of there planning consent.

17. The A827 is scheduled to be closed to traffic for four weeks commencing 2 September to allow long-awaited repairs at Bolfracks to take place.

18. The mess of business signage at the beach near the junction of the A827 and the South Loch Road was discussed. It was agreed that, while signage was necessary, the current arrangement did not provide a very good first impression of the village. The council is particularly keen to get this improved. This topic has been discussed before and had been complicated by some uncertainty of the ownership of the land. It was agreed that the issue should be raised at the next meeting of the business owners’ group.

19. The council asked for an update on the broken urn and were assured this was in safe storage for future restoration, if possible. 

20. Mairi McAdam was thanked for her hard work and excellent arrangements for the Easter Family Fun day, which was a great success.

The Community Council members present were invited to a tour of the castle and estate to see progress on the project. While there is clearly a long way to go on the development, progress on the golf course and the castle is very impressive. The castle building restoration, and interiors in particular, are breath-taking with amazing attention to detail in the extensive craftsman work. Where any existing features had remained these have been restored to the highest quality, often at great expense. We hope the owners will make pictures available soon. Some 250-300 tradesmen and others are currently employed on site, many of them local people. Work will continue for some time yet but the first guests to the castle are expected in the summer. 

Next meeting - TBA

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting, 14 March 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Colin Morton, KDCC

  1. The recent planning application for the golf maintenance building was discussed. David said that they had listened to the feedback and objections they had received from both K&DCC and consultants and found that useful. Concerns that work had already started on the site were completely unfounded and the works ongoing there were temporary and simply part of the preparations for the irrigation and foundations of the golf course. 
  2. Golf course - some holes were already grassed and it was planned to have the front nine holes open by September, with the back nine ready for play in Spring 2025.
  1. Inchadney - once the golf course was complete there would be no further requirement for sand from the borrow pits. Details on the back-filling process were requested. David said that the estate is committed to refilling, restoring and re-landscaping the site - trucks are currently doing two way deliveries - sand going into the Castle grtounds and fill going back out to Inchadney. 
  2. There had been a spate of new planning applications for works inside the estate, some of these temporary. The purpose and location of these was discussed. There were no further major applications expected in the immediate future.
  3. Shop - The plan is still for the shop to open as quickly as possible. Work on the interior has commenced and exterior work would start within a week or so, including improvements to the pavement area. Refrigeration units and shelving has been ordered. It is still planned to hold a meeting with residents to discuss opening hours, goods etc.
  4. The public toilets are already undergoing renovation with the drainage problems now resolved. They should be in operation mid-April. The estate will fully look after daily maintenance and cleaning. A safety gate will be installed at roadside. Opening hours will be confirmed shortly.
  5. Preparations for a kid’s Easter Sunday event were being supported by the estate and the Community Council with the help of volunteers. Events were still being finalised but include an egg hunt and a postcard competition run by the primary school. Kenmore Bakery has offered to donate food, Karelia House craft materials, and the Courtyard Shop will provide eggs.
  6. The beach area had received an initial clean up by the estate after the storms, and further attention is planned. Erosion along the waterline was quite severe in places and some areas are cordoned off for safety reasons until remedial works can be undertaken.
  7. BT will shortly utilise the estate’s cabling infrastructure to provide cabling routing for high speed broadband to residences at Croft Moraig. 
  8. David advised that BT cables to connect the Estate’s control centre will involve temporary sections of digging along the north bank, by Openreach, scheduled for around two week’s time.
  9. Trees at the rear of Taymouth Drive – at local residents’ request, works will be instructed to trim additional trees that have not been identified as requiring attention in a recent independent arborist survey.
  10. 50 new flower hanging baskets were being prepared for the Kenmore village square, along with a mobile watering system.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting 17 January 2024

Present: David O'Donoghue, Taymouth Castle Estate; Peter Ely, KDCC; Mairi McAdam, Taymouth Castle Estate; Shirley Shearer, KDCC; Colin Morton, KDCC

 

  1. Village shop -The planning application to improve the roadside landscape outside the shop was approved on 12 January. The works should provide a safer and much more attractive public space outside the shop which maintains the traditional look of the square by reusing the existing stone cobbles and kerbing. The new seating area will be enhanced with new public furniture and safety will be improved by providing a decorative cast iron chain divider and low wall to separate the seating area from the road. It has been confirmed that interior works will not require permission and so the building works can now commence. The target for opening remains spring 2024. The estate hopes to hold an open evening for the village to explain its plans for the shop.
  2. Toilets - further exploratory work of the existing drainage has revealed some complications. This, and delays in obtaining Scottish Water advice due to industrial action, have slowed progress. However, work will recommence once Scottish water permission has been granted and an Easter opening is still expected. The issue of maintaining and cleaning the public toilets has been difficult. At the Council’s request Taymouth Castle Estate has agreed to do this and will clean the toilets on a regular basis. The Council is grateful for the estate’s work on both the shop and the toilets, both of which have been among our priorities, and which will add greatly to the amenity of the village and to the enjoyment of its visitors.
  3. Inchadney - Trucking of sand will commence soon. Restrictions on frequency and timing will be strictly adhered to, and start dates will be advised in advance. The estate is still looking at alternative methods of transport to mitigate the impact on roads etc. The possibility of installing a temporary bridge is being investigated.
  4. Planning - an application for initial works at the Dairy will be submitted shortly.
  5. Taymouth Trading - design work is ongoing in advance of applying for planning permission. If all goes well, and planning is approved, the new village pub is expected to be in operation in 2025.
  6. Core Paths - David reaffirmed the estate's committment to the core paths being re-opened in their entirety following the completion of the works, with enhancements/extensions. 
  7. Fishing permits - the cost of local trout permits will be reduced to £1 per day. The council wondered why there was any charge for local residents and David explained that this was to manage daily rod numbers. Non-residents will pay £12.50 per day. The Council had pushed for an improved deal for residents and was grateful for this resolution.
  1. Christmas in Kenmore - The Council expressed its sincere thanks for the estate’s substantial assistance, both financial and in kind, with the Kenmore 2023 Christmas celebrations. Without that the occasion would not have been such a success.

The meeting was unfortunately cut short due to a power outage in the area.

 

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison meeting 28 November 2023

Present: David O'Donoghue, Colin Morton

 

1. Sewage works have passed planning permission following survey results and work is going ahead to complete the installation.

2. Trees at back of Taymouth Drive - this work should now be complete. Apparently there was a question about the ownership of a small triangle of land near the school. DLC has been unable to resolve this issue but will go ahead and tidy the rest of the area up.

3. Core paths - new signage has been installed and new benches commissioned using local timber felled from the estate. DLC is in discussion with PKC as to the best solution for how the south path crosses the new A827 access road. This has delayed the start of the access road construction.

4. Public Toilets - Consultation with Scottish Water has been delayed due to industrial action at the water authority.

5. The replacement of the parking meter at the beach car park with a defibrillator will go ahead shortly.

6. Kenmore Church - Following a request by the Community Council, DLC has offered to finance a structural survey of the Kenmore Church building.

7. Reading Rooms - DLC continues to source replacement stugged timber columns for the Reading Rooms terrace. The existing ones are rotting and appropriate replacements are hard to find.

8. Sand extraction at Inchadney - suitable sand for the restoration of the golf course is no longer available on site and will now be sourced from sand pits at Inchadney. Trucks will be used initially for transport of the sand but DLC has commissioned a conveyor system to be constructed in January to cross the river and minimise haulage traffic impact.

9. The obstructions near the horsefields at the back of Aberfeldy Road have been removed. David O'Donoghue met with some of the residents there to discuss future arrangements.

10. DLC has committed its support to the Christmas Market this year and the Kenmore Highland Games and Triathlon for 2024.

11. The estate will take delivery of its own ambulance in December.  Its paramedic has already assisted local residents in difficulties. The unit may supplement first responders in the area but anyone in difficulty should continue to dial 999 in the first instance. 

12. Planning for reopening the shop continues and work remains on schedule for an opening in early 2024.

Taymouth Castle/ Kenmore and District Community Council Liaison Meeting - September 14, 2023

Present: David o’Donoghue, DLC; Peter Ely, K&D CC; Colin Morton, K&D CC.

Agenda

  1. Welcome to Taymouth website

The CC welcomed the revamped website which has more information than before. Peter and Colin had some comments and suggestions for further improvements.

2. Moness

David informed the CC that DLC has finalised the purchase of the Moness estate in Aberfeldy. There would be no change to the operating structure or management team. The hotel business will continue but DLC hopes to obtain a change of use permission to change the houses to residential use. This would permit some of the houses to be used for staff accommodation with around 10-20 units earmarked for attainable, affordable housing for non-DLC residents. An announcement is planned for Friday 15 Sept after staff had been informed.

3. Kenmore in Bloom

No further information on Kenmore in Bloom, or legal ties or leases for the beach area, had been unearthed. It was agreed that a new organisation should be formed to take forward the responsibilities of the former KiB. The CC would consider how this might best be achieved.

Action: K&DCC to propose a new structure

4. Christmas in Kenmore

David repeated DLC’s ongoing commitment to supporting this event which should become an annual celebration. The CC would form a committee involving local groups and businesses to take arrangements for 2023 forward.

Action: K&DCC to form a Christmas in Kenmore committee

5. Community Engagement Manager

A local lady has been appointed to this new DLC post and will take up the job in October. Her responsibilities will include fostering positive relationships between Taymouth Castle Golf & Sport Club and the local community, ensuring the club integrates seamlessly into the local surroundings while respecting and celebrating the local culture and traditions.

6. Economic Impact Assessment

The CC had been keen to see such an assessment of the projected economic impact of the development for the wider area and was pleased that DLC has now appointed a company to carry this out. The report will be made public when complete.

Action: DLC to publish the report when ready

7. Village Shop

Concept visuals have been produced with the aim of creating a good quality and welcoming retail shop but with affordable goods and prices. DLC intends to hold a community consultation evening in the Reading Rooms in early November to obtain local views on the range of goods and services to be provided.

Action: DLC to organise a consultation event in the Reading Rooms in early November

8. Castle Archives

Colin said that a project to collect and organise local documents for a heritage archive was in the process of being investigated. Historical documents from the castle might form an important part of the archive and it would be a great help if information on what documents, maps or pictures might still be held in the castle could be provided. David agreed to investigate and report back.

Action: David to investigate what materials might be available for copying

Taymouth Castle/ Kenmore CC Liaison Meeting - July 5, 2023

Present: Robert Johnstone, MSA; Tom Collopy, Chief Development Officer, DLC; Shirley Shearer, K&D CC; Peter Ely, K&D CC; Colin Morton, K&D CC.

Agenda

  1. DLC Management changes

The CC was pleased to welcome Tom Collopy to this meeting. After introductions Colin Morton outlined the history of the relationship between DLC and the Council, and gave some examples of where working together had proved fruitful for both parties. However, it was noted that liaison had not been quite as effective after the departure of Ian Connolly from the project, and that there were still some loose ends, and uncertainty on the Council’s part about the division of responsibilities at the estate.

Tom gave assurances that the situation was entirely temporary and that new appointments by DLC would soon improve matters. In the meantime, he undertook to answer any questions, or address any concerns, personally.

Colin said that the Council has a number of questions, including some put to the Council by members of the community, and he would pass these on for Tom’s attention.

Tom stressed that DLC and its investors have a very high regard for the village, and its heritage, and want to work with the community to help preserve what needs preserved and improve things where it is of mutual benefit. They are very conscious that many of their own staff members will become part of the community and it is in their interest to ensure its health and wellbeing. He pointed out that all properties now owned by DLC outside the castle  grounds would not be exclusive to estate owners but be entirely public facing.

Action: Robert to circulate contact details

DLC to notify details of new appointees when made

Colin to pass on list of questions

2. New Planning Applications

There had been considerable public feedback on the ‘Back of House’ consultation and this would help guide the formal planning applications later in the year. Common concerns were about visual impact, noise disturbance, traffic increases and light pollution.

3. Village Shop

DLC has concluded its purchase of the old Post Office and shop. Its intention is to re-open the shop but not the Post Office, which it is generally accepted would not be commercially viable. It is considering what the best management model for the shop might be to ensure the business will be sustainable and service of good quality.

Action: DLC to provide progress updates

5.  Public Communications

Colin outlined the Council’s concerns about the level of public communication on the project by DLC. The Welcome to Taymouth website had helped but there were many rumours circulating. A few of these were bordering on the absurd but many were based on quite legitimate concerns.

An example cited was the suggestion that there would be new jet ski and motorboat developments on the loch side.  Tom confirmed that DLC has no plans to develop further boating facilities on the Loch. He said that, on the contrary, DLC is keen to retain the current Loch Tay Association Code of Conduct and to work with other owners and interests to make this effective.

The Council considered that many such fears could be put to rest by improved communications. It was agreed that responses to questions put to DLC through the Council would be published in a similar manner to the liaison meeting minutes. DLC is happy to meet with interested and concerned constituents and representatives at the Council's recommendation. In addition, DLC will organise a meeting with the local Community Councils.

Action: Council to publish a Q&A on its website

DLC to organise an area Comm Council meeting

6. Village Reading Rooms

The Council's concern over the future of the Reading Rooms were discussed. Tom said that DLC would continue to support the community in its efforts to retain use of the rooms, and possibly their acquisition via a Community Asset Transfer.

7. Village Church

It was noted that the future of the church was currently uncertain. DLC values having a viable church within the community and Tom offered to commission a building condition survey, similar to that they carried out for the Council on the Reading Rooms, if that would help.

Action: DLC to commission a building survey

8. Date of next meeting: TBA

 

Taymouth Castle/ Kenmore and District CC Liaison Meeting - June 6, 2023

Present: Robert Johnstone MSA, Catriona Batholomew DLC, Shirley Shearer K&D CC, Peter Ely K&D CC, Colin Morton K&D CC

 

Agenda

1. DLC Management changes

A new DLC lead project manager, Gary Wilson, has been appointed. The CC had enjoyed a very positive and productive working relationship with his predecessor, Ian Connolly,  and looked forward to meeting Gary in due course.

The CC had previously raised the issue of Kenmore in Bloom, which Mr Connolly had undertaken to investigate, and asked who would be taking this issue forward at DLC. Kenmore in Bloom, a charitable organisation set up to look after the beach area, has a 21 year lease of the beach area and the ability to raise funds for improvements.

Action: Peter Ely to pass on copies of the lease to Robert for investigation of progress, and any legal issues at DLC.

2. Project progress update

Work on the golf course is well underway and on track. DLC is hoping to see grass on some holes by the end of the year. SEPA has given consent for irrigation water to be taken from a river well. A planning application is yet to be made for this. Almost all the green keeping machines will be electric.

Progress on the castle is good and scaffolding will start to come down in the next few weeks. By late summer all scaffolding should be gone. Most interior repairs are well underway.

An upgraded electricity supply will be required for the estate and will require a tunnel to be made under the river near Chinese Bridge. The work may take up to three months and may impact access to south bank and the north bank: to be confirmed. The Scottish Canoe Association and local kayak/canoe clubs have been consulted and some temporary facilities have been agreed.

Creation of critical infrastructure for Housing Zone 1 is ongoing.

DLC has appointed an expert to manage the deer situation on the estate and to advise on fence design.  Deer fencing casualties are a concern with a number of recent reports of  injured or dead deer

3. New planning applications

An application for Housing Zone 4 near the dairy is about to be submitted. It is intended that the dairy will become the golf clubhouse. This will include the replacement of the wooden stugged columns which are hard to source. The CC asked if DLC was still able to supply similar columns to replace those in the Reading Rooms and were told this would very likely be feasible.  DLC to consult woodcutters on the matter and report back.

Housing Zone 2, from the river bend to Newhall Bridge, will have its housing density reduced from the original plans. Over the whole estate, the number of houses will likely be reduced from the 2011 consent.

There is extant consent for 11 staff houses near the playing fields, but it appears that some of these may now be prone to flooding. DLC will check and report back.

Details of planning applications, and opportunity to comment,  are available on the P&K Council planning website and the Community Council encourages everyone in the community to participate.

4. Estate Access restrictions

A P&K Council access official recently visited the estate to discuss temporary restrictions with the developers. The Council (and the CC) are keen to maintain as much access as possible during the development works. DLC has provided information on its intentions to P&K Council and awaits a response.

The CC expressed its serious concerns over the lack of public information regarding the temporary measures, with specific concern over the grading of slopes and the lack of any information on routes and their nature. DLC said they cannot provide public maps or walk information until P&K Council has responded.

Action: Peter Ely to contact P&K Council to try to accelerate their response.

5. Trout Fishing - progress with local access

There has been no change to the situation regarding local people’s season trout permits although DLC said they are still looking at the issue. The CC put in the strongest terms the case for continuing the local permit system and recorded its disappointment at the lack of progress of what it sees as being a simple issue.

Action: Catriona to inform the CC of any progress or outcomes.

 

6. North Terrace clearance

The CC had requested that fallen trees on the north terrace, and back of Taymouth Drive, be cleared to allow walking along both banks of the river. DLC reported that no progress has been made on either front due to pressures of other work.

 

7. Beach furniture/advertising signage

The CC had previously asked DLC to review the untidy plethora of signage at the south end of the beach. There was no progress to report, and it seemed unlikely that any changes would be made. DLC raised concerns on the ownership of the land as only a portion belongs to DLC, and it can’t remove signage from another’s property.

An update on new beach furniture and signage to be brought to the next liaison meeting.

Action: Robert to speak with DLC and get an update on this.

 

8. PAN meetings

The first meeting on 17 May had been quite well attended and there was significant feedback on the proposals for the ‘back of house’ facilities, including noise, visual impact and road traffic. The next presentation would include more details and any design changes made or resulting from local feedback. The CC encourages everyone in the community to attend this on 21 June and to provide comment or feedback.

The CC suggested that perhaps an opportunity to have also presented some of the restoration work on the castle and the larger project had been missed.

 

9. Post office/shop/hotel/Paper Boat update

DLC is still keen to purchase the old post office and to re-open it as a village shop, however it had run up against legal issues which have hindered progress.

Kenmore Hotel - Initial design works have commenced ahead of a detailed planning and listed buildings application.

No plans have been firmed up yet for either the Paper Boat or Taymouth Trading

 

10. Next meeting

Was agreed for July 4.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District CC Liaison Meeting - April 2023

1. We agreed that we need a routine for checking notes based on what was discussed in the meeting. The community council should provide relevant meeting notes to DLC for review and feedback before publicising these. Review period of 14-day will allow for clearance by DLC.

2. Communicating walking restrictions: Path closures will be communicated once agreement has been granted by Perth & Kinross Council. DLC will endeavor to keep the community informed of path closures via the Welcome to Taymouth website and at community council meetings as needed.

3. North Terrace clearance - no progress here but perhaps a little confusion as to what the CC is requesting. Catriona Bartholomew to investigate possibilities with contractor. Colin Morton volunteered to help pinpoint the location etc.

4. Trout Fishing - DLC are looking to provide a day permit for local people within a defined geographical area yet to be determined. A fishing information permit page was added to the Welcome to Taymouth website along with a news update on the topic. A new fishing menu option was added to the website w/c 17 April. Any developments on fishing permits and related matters will be published online.

5. Beach furniture: DLC have communicated that the CC will still be involved with the changes. CC to be updated on progress when possible.

6. Coronation Day: DLC has agreed to help put up bunting purchased by the CC in the village. CC to reach out to Catriona Bartholomew to organize / arrange.

7. Next CC meeting: DLC will endeavor to provide a representative at the next public CC meeting if there are agenda items pertaining to developments at Taymouth Castle Estate. CC to advise.

8. Next liaison meeting: Colin Morton to advise on date and agenda for next public meeting.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District CC Liaison Meeting - February 2023

Representatives of the Community Council met with the Taymouth Castle Estate development team on February 28th.

Beach area

  • Beach bollards & street furniture.  DLC will bring revised plans & designs to the next meeting.

Public access

  • There have been some temporary changes to the core paths within the castle estate on safety grounds. When work starts on resurfacing the golf course further restrictions must be made on safety grounds. Community Council and DLC will liaise with providing public information on this.
  • Survey work on Chinese and Newhall bridges continues.
  • The Gallops walk has been cleared of fallen trees and debris and we hope the north terrace walk will be similarly cleared.
  • Trout fishing permits will be issued for the north bank of the river only this year and there will be no discounts/seasonal permits for local people. DLC has an online application available on their website.
  • New cycle tracks have been laid in the fields near Balloch Park. This has been developed in conjunction with the Countryside Trust.

Castle Property Development

  • Redevelopment work on the Castle and west wing is progressing.
  • Work on the east wing has started.
  • Residential development - design,planning and works are underway.
  • A planning application was approved for a new west access entrance to the estate on the A827, below Balnaskeag. This is to accommodate construction traffic entering the site in the near future as well as the long-term plan of providing vehicular access for service vehicles that will protect the fabric of the existing historical buildings and bridges at the access from East Gatehouse. The plans include the addition of a new bus stop.
  • The start of works on the golf course is imminent. The intention is to use existing soils etc to reduce the traffic impact on local roads.
  • There will be extensive new tree planting on the estate to replace many of the trees lost. A new tree nursery will be created at Inchadney to provide stock.

Kenmore Shop

  • DLC has been in negotiations with the shop owner to purchase and the building and re-open it as a shop. We hope to have more news on this shortly.

Kenmore Hotel

  • The intention is still for this to be re-opened as a hotel, at some point in the future.

Taymouth Castle/Kenmore and District CC Liaison Meeting - Oct 2022

The Community Council continues to have regular liaison meetings with Taymouth Castle Estate developers. Discussions has been positive, open and fruitful. The following is a summary of our our discussions and progress made.

Surrounding area Community Councils are also being consulted and informed on developments.

Beach area

  • The beach area has been cleaned up, bare tree roots covered, and wall reinforced
  • Two prominent life belts have been installed
  • The commemorative benches already in place will remain
  • New roadside bollards, buckets, tables and benches, in keeping with those already there, will be installed soon
  • The outflow pipes that run into the loch will be removed

Public access

  • There have been some temporary changes to the core paths within the castle estate on safety grounds.
  • New path markers have been installed in the castle estate to make the path network clearer Public access to the beach will remain unrestricted
  • The intention is to reopen Chinese and Newhall bridges and these will continue to form part of the public core path network
  • The Gallops walk has been cleared of fallen trees and debris and we hope the north terrace walk will have similar improvements

Toilets

  • We are continuing to talk with the developers about getting new toilet facilities in the village and are optimistic that something will result

Village Square

  • Many new flower baskets have been installed and tended
  • Street furniture is being reviewed with a view to replacements more in keeping with the character of the village
  • A new Community Council noticeboard will replace the damaged ones at the reading rooms
  • Street lighting and Christmas lights are under review
  • The square surface and footpaths will also be reviewed
  • The opportunity to provide new benches in the square area is being pursued with land owners

Reading rooms

  • We are grateful to McKenzie Strickland Architects which has undertaken a structural survey of the rooms pro bono to identify any building work that may be required
  • The estate developers have installed broadband free of charge and assisted with clearance of unwanted items
  • The Community Council is pursuing a transfer of the ownership of the rooms from Perth and Kinross Council to the community, and once the situation is clearer will carry out a local consultation
  • The stugged tree stem supporting columns in the veranda will soon be in need of replacement. This will be difficult but the castle developers have offered to help with this if possible

Kenmore Primary School

  • The school had a generous donation from the estate towards their Wee Robbie Event - a run & cycle event through the grounds.

Salmon Opening Season Ceremony

  • Although the hotel is temporarily closed the ceremony will continue, hosted by the Taymouth Castle Estate.
  • New safer handrail is being installed on the jetty in preparation for this

Telephone box

  • Options for the renovation of the box in the square are being considered and the castle developers have offered to pay for the work

Castle Development

  • Building work is being carried out in line with the planning permission previously granted but with variations to meet current standards and changing requirements. Changes require planning consent and applications can be seen and commented on in the PKC website.

Castle Walls

  • The listed walls around the Castle estate on the A827 require extensive maintenance. DLC is working with Perth and Kinross Council to find a safe way to do this and return the walls to their original state.

Kenmore Hotel

  • The hotel is being used for staff accommodation and in the longer term will be fully refurbished and reopened to a very high standard

Staff Accommodation

  • The estate will require hundreds of employees once it is in operation. Finding accommodation for them will be a major challenge.
  • The estate has already purchased holiday-let houses for residential use by staff and further purchases and house building are anticipated

Taymouth Trading Building

  • Current options for this building include a new bakery and cafe but this may change

Paper Boat and boating jetties

  • The estate has bought the Paper Boat building and boating jetties and yard but has not decided on their future

Fishing permits

  • No fishing is currently permitted.
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