Chairperson’s Annual Report 2008-2009

Introduction

As the date at the end of this report will show it has been written somewhat later in the year than usual. This is largely because the Trust has been between Project Managers since Graham Young’s term of office came to an end on the 31st of March and the appointment of our new Project Manager, Jillian Davies, to commence on the 1st of September. This has also delayed the date of our Annual General Meeting but since our Deed of Trust does not specify the timing no regulatory infringement has occurred.

Notwithstanding the above circumstances I have decided to write this report to cover more or less a year, rather than a longer period, as that seems the best option in terms of the ongoing accounting of the Trust’s activities. Therefor this report runs from July 2008 to the end of June 2009. Hopefully next year we will be able to hold our AGM in June or July, as has been our practice since the inception of the Trust.

Also in this section I would acknowledge the work which Graham Young did during his period as Project Manager from Autumn 2006 to the end of March 2009. He interacted with many local groups seeking ways of assisting them or canvassing their views on suggested projects. I know that Graham would have preferred there to have been more tangible outcomes from his work but sometimes such things take a long time. I am sure that we will see progress in some of the areas he worked on and that his efforts will not be wasted. We wish him well in his new role as Project Officer for The Green Townscape Heritage Initiative in Aberdeen.

I would extend my gratitude again to Rachel Jackson in Kirriemuir who has continued to compile and edit the Coupar Angus bulletin from home and Culross the Printers for their high quality and timeous production of the monthly issues.

Community Groups and Events

As noted in last year’s report I shall not be recounting the Horse Fair, except to say that it took place again, very successfully, on the 28th of March 2009.

Coupar Angus Pride of Place Group (PoP), which CART supported when it began, has also had a very successful year. In the annual Take a Pride in Perthshire awards in September 2008 the group won a Silver Gilt prize for the town as a whole, the silver salver for “Best Community Effort” and the award for “The best improvement in a Town”. It was the second year in succession the group won the community effort prize.

Lastly in this section the fireworks in Larghan park were a huge success again on the 4th of November 2008. Blast Design, as has become the norm, executed a wonderful display which everyone enjoyed. There was a guy competition, a glow lantern display, refreshment stalls, rides and shows of various kinds. It is also appropriate to note that Blast Design, who are based at Keithick just to the west of Coupar Angus, are the Scottish Fireworks Champions and, in September 2008, took second place in the World Fireworks Championships held in Blackpool. CART can hardly claim any credit for those successes of course but at least we helped facilitate the local community seeing the skills available in their locality.

Coupar Angus and District Heritage Association conducted the first guided walk round the historic buildings of Coupar Angus in summer 2008 and I hope they will maintain a programme of these walks in future. I was most interested, being present, to hear local people express their surprise when features of buildings above street level which they had never noticed before were drawn to their attention. I trust this will increase awareness in the community of the value of their heritage.

Projects

(a) Buildings and Townscape Heritage Initiative

As noted in last year’s report, work was ongoing on two of the THI Critical Project Buildings. I am delighted to say that one of them, the former Co-op building, has now been totally renovated, or rebuilt where necessary, and converted into affordable flats for rent by Perthshire Housing Association. On the 31st of March 2009 the official opening of the building took place with Carol Lang, widow of Crichton Lang, a former CART Trustee after whom the building has been named Crichton Lang Court, unveiling the plaque at the entrance. Thereafter the guests were able to visit one of the flats, all of which had been occupied, to see the high quality nature of the development. I believe that if ever there were a vindication of the decision the Trust took to include this building in its plans, then the speed with which all twelve new flats were tenanted must be it.

The second major project in the THI, the Lodging House, has been, unfortunately, less successful. The specialist contractor engaged to carry out the external works went into administration during the early part of 2009 and as a result the work was suspended for some time. Perth and Kinross Council, the owners of the building, managed to carry out the window replacement since they had ordered the frames prior to the masonry contractor failing. These have now been installed and a replacement contractor engaged to take the remainder of the exterior works forward. At this time it is not possible to say when the works may be completed.

On a happier note, Ancaster Properties of Dundee, owners of the former Royal Hotel building, the third critical project building, are well advanced with phase one of their programme to convert the old hotel into flats for sale. This phase comprises what was known locally as the Assembly Rooms and that space will be divided into four totally unique flats. Despite the scaffolding, which has encased the building, those with an interest in how red sandstone can be renovated have been able to see the excellence of the work being done. I, like all my colleagues, look forward to the transformation this project will achieve in the centre of Coupar Angus. Exactly what we set out to try to do nearly ten years ago.

Throughout the year Sara Carruthers, the THI Project Officer, has been contacting and negotiating with the owners of the buildings within the Conservation Area which have been listed as qualifying for grant aid to restore architectural detail. Private owners who agree to participate in the scheme will receive 90% grant towards their costs. The response has been good overall but it is not possible yet to be certain how many of these owners will participate in the scheme. I am most grateful to Sara Carruthers for all the work she has done to try to identify the owners and contact them. We knew this would be a long haul and must hope that in next year’s report real progress can be reported in terms of commissioned work.

Another element of the THI has been Sara Carruthers’s success in engaging Learn Direct Scotland, and others, to support a six month apprenticeship course in building. This would naturally have as key elements the skills required to carry out work on historic buildings.

(b) Coupar Angus Rural Renaissance

The background and financial detail for this project, essentially the total refurbishment of Larghan Victory Park on the eastern edge of Coupar Angus, was recounted in last year’s report. Work began in the Autumn of 2008 and continued through the winter. The contractors, JKF Ltd., persevered though all weathers including heavy snow at one point, and have, I believe, done a first class job. The park was officially re-opened on Saturday the 6th of June 2009 with a huge crowd in attendance. Various entertainments were arranged and everyone had a grand time. Since then, in almost any weather, the play area has been crowded with youngsters enjoying the new equipment. What has been most pleasing to me personally is the number of occasions I have seen adults with their children, or children they were looking after, in the park. This feature had faded over recent years but is now well re-established and I hope will continue since it will contribute to family and social cohesion in the community at large.

(c) Community Garden

Despite the best efforts of our last Project Manager, Graham Young, this scheme has not yet progressed. It may be that the scale envisaged was too large and various groups have been deterred from involving themselves as a result. There was also the problem of identifying a site, even for a modest garden, thus it is currently on the back burner, but we will try to revive it in future.

(d) Halls

As noted in last year’s report, this scheme to try to provide a new community facility through group co-operation was proving very difficult. Indeed, when the Trustees reviewed the outcome of the survey process they were obliged to conclude that the project was unviable and have shelved it. Unless there is a significant change in attitudes it will not appear in this report again.

(e) Environmental Projects

The Abbey ruin floodlighting idea has, sadly, not made progress. This has been due to various factors not the least of which has been securing a sustainable electricity supply. I can only say that we have not abandoned this idea and will attempt to move it on as soon as possible.

CART has researched the level of interest in Coupar Angus for allotments and found there is demand. The next task will be trying to find a suitable site. Ideally, as with the community garden idea, this should be within walking distance of the Primary School thus allowing the children to participate. A meeting was held with Perth and Kinross Council officers to review the situation given that councils have a duty in law to try to facilitate such schemes. This concluded that at present the lack of an identified site meant no further progress could be made. As a possible alternative the Trustees have also investigated a garden lend scheme. This is where people with gardens who either do not want to or cannot, say for age reasons, maintain their garden “lend” it to agreed other parties who would like a garden but do not have one. This will be one of the themes our new Project Manager will be asked to pursue.

(f) Socio-Economic Concerns

This topic largely concerns social housing and employment. The completion of Crichton Lang Court and the progress on the former Royal Hotel, both noted above, will make significant contributions to the housing objective. Given the economic problems of the last year or more it has not been feasible to advance the relationship with Perthshire Housing Association. The unit cost of renovation as opposed to new build, and the scarcity of available (and affordable) land in Coupar Angus, have stalled this process. We must keep a careful eye on the situation and try to find ways of addressing the continuing demand for affordable housing.

On the industrial units front Perth and Kinross Council, following consultation with myself as Chair of CART, has commissioned and been supplied with a feasibility study of land to the west of the town. This has shown that it is suitable for light industrial uses and we hope that funding can be found to deal with purchasing and servicing the site in future.

Communication

Production of the Coupar Angus bulletin on a monthly basis has continued with Rachel Jackson compiling and editing it from her home in Kirriemuir. We are most grateful to her for her efforts and to Perth and Kinross Council for grant aiding its publication. The issue published for June 2009 was number 44. As in the past I wish to express my gratitude to all the shops and other outlets who have agreed to help with its distribution. The publication remains free to the public and it has been used by many local groups to publicise their events throughout the year as well as acting as a means of reporting the THI etc. to the local people.

Our website continues to run and carries a lot of useful local information as well as historical data such as old photographs of Coupar Angus and its environs. My efforts to engage more local groups to supply up to date information continues. We will be seeking a new webmaster soon to replace Dave Scott, our volunteer, whose family commitments have meant he has had to withdraw from the job. We thank him for his work over the last few years.

Community Consultation and Involvement/Development of the Trust

Pursuant to our decision not to alter the constitution of CART last year we have not changed our view which rests on the reasons stated in last year’s report. For the future, due to our application to the LEADER fund for grant aid to help pay the salary of our Project Manager, we will be concentrating more on social cohesion and group interaction and co-operation. These aspects were key elements of our application which, given the point in time when I wrote this report I know has been successful. We have also been awarded match funding from Perth and Kinross Council. The social cohesion aspect will be major feature in our new Project Manager’s remit.

In July 2008 the Trustees were glad to welcome the new Chairperson of Coupar Angus, Ardler and Bendochy Community Council as an ex officio Trustee to replace the former chair, Michael Gallagher.

In March 2009 the Trustees were equally pleased to welcome Rona McKinnon as a Trustee. Rona was the first Project Manager for CART during 2005/6 and had been expected to move away from Coupar Angus. However, that did not come about and we now look forward to her knowledge and enthusiasm being deployed as a Trustee.

Perth and Kinross Council Liaison

As in past years I wish to express my gratitude to John McCrone, the Council’s Conservation and Regeneration Manager and Sara Carruthers, the THI Project Officer. Given the stage the THI has reached the THI Executive Committee, which both attend and I attend on behalf of CART, has become an increasingly important organ in the THI process. Their professional advice and determination to bring the THI to a successful conclusion are of immense value and as applications begin to be submitted for the Restoration of Architectural Detail schemes will be called upon even more.

Conclusion

The last year has been a difficult period due to the departure of our Project Manager and the disappointments which have occurred in relation to some of the projects we had hoped to progress. However, that has been balanced by the completion of one of the key project buildings of the THI and great progress on another along with the magnificent refurbishment of Larghan Victory Park. In regard to the latter I am delighted to be able to report that the park has been awarded a Green Flag by the national assessment body. Strictly speaking that detail should appear in next year’s report but it seems appropriate to mention it here as the work which earned it was completed during this reporting year.

Alan D. Grant,
Chair of CART

11th September 2009