New homes proposal

Site of former city school could become housing

CONTROVERSIAL plans to transform the site of a former Dundee school into housing have been recommended for approval.

Members of Dundee City Council’s planning committee will be asked next week to give the go-ahead to the proposals to build 62 houses on the site of the former Kingspark School in Gillburn Road in Kirkton.

Persimmon Homes North Scotland hopes to develop the site, having snapped up part of the land in a £3.3 million behind-closed-doors deal with the council.

A report to go before councillors on Monday recommends that planning approval is given to the development of detached and semi-detached houses, along with car parking and landscaping, subject to planning conditions.

The report reveals that there have been 31 letters of objection to the proposals, including a letter of objection with 371 signatures submitted by Kirkton Community and Safety Partnership.

A deputation from the partnership will speak at the council meeting about residents’ concerns.

Stephen Cragg, a campaigner with the group, said it had leafleted about 800 homes in the Kirkton area to make locals aware of the plans.

He said: “We’ve been at this for five years now, trying to explain to the council that residents don’t want this site to be turned into houses.

“The council hasn’t consulted properly on this.”

The group has previously said the land was “promised” to the community as green space, and questioned the suitability of the land for housing, as the area is regularly waterlogged.

However, Iain Innes, managing director of Persimmon Homes North Scotland, said that he was “confident” that the project complied with local housing policy.

He said: “Informing and involving the local community is a very important part of our planning application activity.

“After all, the homes we build are developed to meet the needs of the local people.

“The land in question was approved for residential use by the local council before the site was marketed.”

The former Kingspark School in Gillburn Road, Kirkton.