St Magdalene's Hill and Buckie Braes Management Plan
St Magdalene's Hill and Buckie Braes are two important areas of greenspace on the southern edge of Perth.
St Magdalene's Hill, which is also known by many other names - Callarfountain, the old Pitch and Put, Craigie Hill being just a few of these - dominates the skyline of the southern edge of Perth, between the Friaton Quarry and the southern bypass. The hill has been a valuable recreational area for many years, with people enjoying a network of informal paths.
During 2005 - 2007, a group of representatives of the Community (The St Magdalene's Hill Steering Group) formed and worked to raise finances and, in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council, undertook work on the hill to improve the paths and woodland of the area.
Buckie Braes is a small wooded gorge running between the Glasgow Road and leading to the southern bypass. The paths through the Braes link to an underpass under the M90 and to links routes through the Craigie Community Woodland to St Magdalene's Hill. Buckie Braes is leased by Perth and Kinross Council and in 2007 Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust undertook work to improve the paths through the area.
A Management Plan has been produced to guide the management of these sites in the future.
During May, a public meeting was held to gain the views of members of the two sites to help inform the development of the management plan. This 'scoping' exercise using maps and post it notes, has helped ensure that the management plan reflects the views and needs of users on the sites.
A draft management plan has been produced which underwent a consultation exercise between October 21st and November 28th. Several public events were held and copies of the plan were available for comment in a number of locations. This consultation has now ended and areport (PDF, 120kb) has been produced. The Management Plan will now be revised and will be officially adopted at Council Committee in early 2009. You can view the draft Management Plan below.
+ Draft Management Plan (PDF, 1.7MB)
+ Draft Management Plan Maps (PDF, 16MB)
+ Consultation Report (PDF. 120kb)
Management Plans
The Countryside Section produce 5 yearly management plans for each of the sites that they manage. These management plans summerise the current condition of the site and detail the strategic ambitions for the site - the objectives for the longer term (10+ years) management, and detail the short term (5 years) management in a perscriptive part of the plan.
Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005
Under the above Act, Local Authorities have a duty to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on an plan, policy or programme that they produce to assess the environmental impacts (both positive and negative) of the plan, policy or programme.
Perth and Kinross Council undertook a pre-screening exercise under duties imposed by the above act. A pre-screening report was issued to the SEA Gateway stating that the Management Plan for St Magdalene's Hill and Buckie Braes would not have any significant environmental impacts.
The Consultation Authorities agreed with the assessment.
+ Pre Screening Document (PDF, 371kb)
Equality Impact Assessment
Perth and Kinross Council have also produced and Equalities Report for the draft management plan highlighting areas of work that may be required to ensure that the needs of the whole community are recognised within the plan.
+ Equalities Report (PDF, 66kb)
For additional information contact: Niall Lobley, Senior Ranger, 01738 475393
