Dairy firm’s legal action ‘regrettable’
Plans by Graham’s The Family Dairy to take their fight to develop Airthrey Kerse to court were this week described as “highly regrettable”.
Danny Gibson, Labour councillor for Cornton and Causewayhead, also suggested the company could have“salvaged”some good will from the community if they had simply let the matter drop.
Graham’s – in partnership with Mactaggart & Mickel Homes – has lodged an appeal to the Court of Session over the rejection by Scottish Ministers in June of their application for the site, which they had hoped would help fund a new dairy plant on the outskirts of Stirling.
They had hoped to build 600 houses - including 150 affordable units - a new primary school and a public park, on the site between Bridge of Allan and Causewayhead.
In its grounds for appeal, the company said the decision taken by Ministers was based on“irrelevant information”and not within the powers of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
The Bridge of Allan-based dairy argues that Scottish Ministers “erred in taking account of irrelevant considerations and/or leaving out of account relevant considerations”by failing to factor in a material change in circumstances since the DPEA Reporter’s submission of his report of June 2017.
Councillor Gibson, however, said: “Given the significant planning processes now undertaken to date, this legal action by Graham’s is highly regrettable indeed.
“They seem simply unwilling to accept no for an answer - no matter how many times and in how many ways this is the answer.
“Goodness only knows what they think this can achieve but I think they could have salvaged some good will from the community by accepting the outcome here even if they quite understandably might not have liked it.
“Let’s face it - if the council, the reporter or the Minister had said yes at any stage then they would not be continuing to argue the point.”
Graham’s managing director Robert Graham said last week he believed there were“compelling grounds”for the appeal, adding: “We are extremely disappointed by the Minister’s decision, which we maintain placed more importance on continuing to protect a failed Local Development Plan process than supporting the delivery of much needed homes, infrastructure and creating 500 new full-time jobs within the city of Stirling and the Scottish dairy sector and £65.3m gross value added (GVA) per annum into the Scottish economy.”