Housing plans put to public

Consultation in Drymen on 36 homes bid Bikesare nabbed

Drymen residents are being invited to share their views on a proposed major residential development at Gartness Road and Stirling Road in the village.

Housing developers Mactaggart and Mickel already have planning consent to build 36 houses at the site but are consulting with the public about a proposed addition which is not yet known.

The company has submitted a PreApplication Notice (PAN) to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planning authority. The PAN process is aimed at encouraging consultation with communities and interested parties over potential major developments, ironing out issues or concerns or shaping plans prior to a formal planning application being submitted.

Two drop-in events will be held at Drymen Village Hall on Tuesday, March 28, and April 25, from 3pm to 7pm both days. Exhibition boards will be on display outlining the proposed planning design.

Representatives from Mactaggart and Mickel, and the design team, Iceni Projects and Brindley Associates will be on hand to discuss the proposals for the housing development, the public car park, landscaping, access and visitor parking.

LLTNPA planning committee approved the original application for housing in 2010, however at that time planning history for development of the site for housing was described as “complex and protracted”, the first attempts going as far back as 1984, subsequently featuring a series of potential developers, and at times attracting objections or concerns from hundreds of locals.

Drymen Community Council, which had raised concerns in the past, unanimously supported the approved application, however 13 objections had also been submitted saying the whole site should be allocated for community use, development would detract from the character of the village, other sites would be preferable for housing, flexibility of car parking capacity, overlooking and loss of privacy.

Craig Ormond, homes director for Mactaggart and Mickel, said this week: “We really value the input of residents and are happy to listen to ideas and suggestions local people have on this proposed development. We always have community engagement meetings before any formal decisions are made so that we can work with the local community to provide a development that meets their needs.” Police are on the hunt for bike thieves who struck in Bridge of Allan this week.

Crooks forced entry to a shed next to a house on Westerton Drive – making off with two bikes – sometime between 7pm on Sunday and 1pm on Monday.

Although the bikes were later recovered nearby, officers are still looking for those responsible for the theft.

Inspector Donna Bryans of Stirling police office said: “We’ve experienced an increase of bike theft in this area of late. We would ask anyone with information to come forward.”

Police can be contacted on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.