Cash shortfall sees homes bid rejected

Panel says developers’contributions not‘fair’

Plans for up to 500 houses in Cowie have been unanimously rejected by Stirling Council’s planning panel after debate over a £2million shortfall in developer contributions.

The panel met in Cowie Community Centre to consider two applications - the first by Taylor Wimpy UK for up to 433 homes, employment land and a nature park south of Bannockburn Road and north west of Cowie Bowling Club on Main Street and the second submitted by Omnivale Ltd for up to 67 homes, employment land and nature park behind the green.

Both were recommended for refusal by council planners who said while use of the land for housing was acceptable, neither developers’ suggested contributions to local school capacity were “fair or reasonable”.

Taylor Wimpey offered a combined primary and secondary contribution of £650,000 - a shortfall of almost £2million from the £2,584,327 sought by the council. Omnivale said they envisaged a contribution of £75,000 with the council asking for £424,000.

Taylor Wimpey had previously refused to provide 25 per cent affordable housing or contributions to the City Transport Strategy, however had agreed to do so prior to the hearing.

On education, however, the firm’s representative Pauline Mills said the council’s calculations followed outdated methodology and their own was up to date and had undergone independent assessment including by the district valuer. The council’s calculations would give it the highest number of pupils in Scotland coming forward from new homes. Omnivale Ltd supported Taylor Wimpey’s stance.

She said the company was committed to helping regenerate Cowie, there would be a mix of houses from flats to five-bed homes and families moving into the area would increase use of local business. Council planners, however, said they had to keep within their existing method and suggested Taylor Wimpey had sought to take advantage of recent education investment by the council in the village.

Speaking on behalf of Cowie Community Council, Clare Stevenson said locals were “split” over the use of the site for housing.

“Our attendance is not to object to the houses but if and when they get built we have to have some security for the community. We would stress the need for social and affordable housing for rent. We don’t want to lose our village identity or spirit, and there are further applications with sites earmarked by Cala and Ogilvie so we could be talking about 850 houses not 500.

“We feel the developers have swerved their responsibility to education and there are major concerns about the NHS services and the need for a new GP surgery.”

She said regeneration of Main Street was another concern, that residents of the proposed new estate wouldn’t even have to interact with the main village risking further divide, and there was already space in Main Street which should be redeveloped for employment land including the site of a burnt out shop.