New house plan will bring plenty of cheer
Distillery site is being targeted for housing development
A former distillery site in Rutherglen could be transformed into a large housing development.
Northern Irish developers are eyeing up the derelict land in Duchess Road that was previously owned by Speyside Distilleries and used for warehouses and offices.
Heron Property - which has created a series of modern housing and retail developments in towns throughout the UK - is keen to build 185 homes.
The firm recently submitted a planning application to South Lanarkshire Council detailing plans for a three-four storey urban block, two-storey cottage flats, and colony style and semi-detached housing.
The site has been marketed for another industrial-type purpose for the past seven years - but there has been no interest.
A large chunk of the distillery buildings have also been demolished and Heron Property hope to convince council planning chiefs that new houses would make best use of the neglected site.
Scott Hobbs Planning is acting on behalf of Heron Property and are calling for permission to change the designated use of site - to pave the way for housing.
In their application, the Edinburghbased firm wrote: “The redevelopment of the site for residential development would fit well within the context of the local area considering the residential development directly west of the site and the large retailled mixed use development approved to the east.
“Whilst residential development is not preferred in industrial areas, it is not strictly prohibited and it is considered that evidence has been put forward to justify the change of use to residential.
“The proposal will meet the overall objectives of the plan and will help to achieve sustainable development on a brownfield site and contribute to the regeneration of the Clyde Gateway.”
The planning agents also argue that the area has ideal access to transport for a housing development, with bus stops close by and Rutherglen train station a 10 minute walk away.
The planning proposals have also gone through a pre-application consultation, which included a community information event held in March 2018. Two meetings have also taken place with senior planning officials at South Lanarkshire Council.
Heron Property is Northern Ireland’s largest private sector landlord and currently own and lease in excess of 3.5 million sq ft in retail, office, residential, hotel, leisure, industry, mixed use and regeneration projects across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
On its website, the company says its aim is to “create a vibrant and exciting environment for people to live and work”.
The housing development application has yet to be scheduled to go before the council’s planning committee.