Architects’ new housing hope

Proposals for farm are re-submitted

Architects say nine homes planned for a farm which can be seen from Stirling Castle will improve the view and provide a better gateway into the city.

Crammond Select Homes and Bobby Halliday Architects want to build nine houses at King’s Park Farm on Dumbarton Road West.

The proposals, which are a revision of a planning application submitted to Stirling Council planners almost a year ago, would see the farm buildings converted or partially demolished and the houses created using the same footprint.

The developers say several of the buildings are in poor condition and there is no benefit in keeping or converting them.

In documents submitted with the application, they claim the proposals will enhance and restore not only the existing area, but provide a defined urban “full stop” to that corner of Stirling.

They also say, however, the area, while important, is “overly romanticised”.

They add: “Kings Park Farm Steading occupies a unique site within the Stirling environs in terms of both its physical location and its status under planning policy. Its prominent location means it can be viewed from afar.

“The only vantage point where the full extent of the steading is visible is from the south-west corner of Stirling Castle.

“It is not without irony that we note that one of the best views in Stirling overlooks some of its most rundown buildings – Kings Park Farm.”

They say the view from the castle would be unchanged, with the roof of the steading the only prominent feature.

“The conversion of the Kings Park Steading represents a unique opportunity to effect positive change to a highly important, but overly romanticised, area of the King’s Park,” say the architects.

“The variety of materials present on site are at odds with the Conservation Character Appraisal. The buildings are now at a point of dilapidation.

“The site’s prominence does not present the literal or metaphorical gateway to Stirling that it should – from a distance, so much is offered that is not delivered when actually reached.

“The existing buildings offer a starting point to generate homes in keeping with their landscape and built environment and compliant with planning policy to allow the formation of contemporary housing that offers a respectful nod to the vernacular architecture of historic, rural buildings, whilst looking forward to the ongoing 21st century.”

Council planners will make a recommendation and a decision reached in due course.