Environment & Heritage
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Read the Environment & Heritage Info from the Report
Greenspaces are important to people in Blairgowrie and Rattray. They don’t want to continue to lose them to development. They see them as important for recreation, health, and wellbeing, growing local produce, biodiversity, and in creating a place that is attractive for residents and visitors and which in turn contributes to the local economy.
Priorities include continuing to develop community allotments, gardens and orchards; continuing to develop the Riverside and Davie Park so that they draw people to them as ‘destinations’; and making sure that residential areas across the town have access to their own quality greenspaces to enjoy.
Continuing to improve and develop walking and cycling routes was also important – within the town itself and out into the wider countryside.
Walking, cycling, and making the most of greenspaces were seen as aspects of trying to reduce the local carbon footprint. Other carbon reducing initiatives should also be encouraged and included continuing the HEAT energy advice service and looking again at plans for a hydro scheme on the River Ericht as well as other options for renewable energy.
People thought there is a case for Blairgowrie’s identity to be closely linked to these environmental assets and ambitions – and advocated the development and promotion of it as a place that is ‘Green and Growing Locally’ and which is aiming to be a ‘Low Carbon - High Nature Town’.
The consultation for the CAP also highlighted the importance of local heritage and how it should be made much more of with suggestions including heritage trails, heritage interpretation, restoring historic buildings, creating a local heritage museum, and ‘retrieving’ local historic artifacts to the town currently archived in other museums.
In pursuing these it was noted that it would be valuable to connect into wider area initiatives. Those mentioned included e.g., Strathmore Cycle Network, Cateran Trail, Cateran Eco Museum, ‘Ancient Routes, Modern Scots’.
Priority List of Actions
The following items were identified for action:-
Greenspace
The lead for this item is Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust and they are supported by Proactive Communities Blairgowrie & Rattray, Riverside Venture Group, Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Climate Cafe, Open Spaces, PKC
Activities and suggestions include:
Low Carbon High Nature
The lead for this item is Home Energy Advice Team and they are supported by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust, Open Spaces, PKC
Activities and suggestions include:
Paths & Cycle Networks
The lead for this item is Strathmore Cycle Network and they are supported by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust, Blairgowrie and Rattray Access Network (BRAN), Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Council, P&K Countryside Trust, SUSTRANS
Activities and suggestions include:
Promote Heritage Assets
The lead for this item is Our Heritage Blairgowrie & Rattray SCIO and they are supported by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust, Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Local History Trust, It's BRAW - Blairgowrie & Rattray Arts for Wellbeing, Blairgowrie and East Perthshire Tourist Association (BEPTA), Cateran Ecomuseum
Activities and suggestions include: