Hopes high for start to £330m village plans

Development: Forestmill is main focus of region deal

Hopes have been raised that plans for a new village on the outskirts of Fife and Perthshire will finally get off the ground.

Planning permission in principle for the £330 million development at Forestmill was approved by Clackmannanshire councillors six years ago, although a further application seeking to extend the timescale of that consent by five years was subsequently rubber-stamped last year.

Upwards of 1,200 homes are envisaged in the project, along with a fourstar hotel, leisure facilities, a championship golf course and primary school.

While fears have been expressed the plans might not fully come to fruition in the current financial climate, The Courier understands the opening of the Queensferry Crossing means Forestmill is now seen as a main focus of the ongoing Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, which should provide financial backing to unlock large-scale housing development in the area.

A report to Clackmannanshire Council conceded the circumstances surrounding Forestmill mean that it “would be unlikely to go ahead without intervention” or could result in a “watered down” development, but stressed the vision for the site is of “an exemplar development which would take advantage of the site’s characteristics and location”.

The village will be built by Hermiston Securities, of the Muir Group, and is likely to take at least 15 years to finish.

A statement from solicitors acting for the Drysdale family, which farms the main part of the Forestmill site, said they were enthused about the future of the area.

“We have farmed at Forestmill for many years and love the area,” the statement said.

“We are excited by the development proposal and the effect it will have in regenerating the local area.” The Defence Secretary has hit out at the SNP’S “confused” position on nuclear weapons on a visit to the Clyde Naval Base.

Sir Michael Fallon, right, held global security talks with Nato’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left, and ambassadors at the home of the UK’S nuclear deterrent to mark the 350th nuclear submarine patrol.

He said the UK would continue to play a leading role in Nato’s deterrence missions, emphasising the £1.3 billion investment planned for the base over the next 10 years.

The visit came a day after Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reaffirmed her commitment to removing nuclear missiles from Scotland. Speaking at Holyrood, she said: “I want to see a world free of nuclear weapons and I think that countries such as the United Kingdom should lead by example.”

Responding to the comments, Sir Michael said the SNP needed to “sort out” their position on the nuclear deterrent.

He said: “As I understand it the SNP position seems very confused now. They want to join Nato, Nato is a nuclear alliance and our nuclear forces, the French nuclear forces, the American nuclear forces are part of Nato’s nuclear alliance.

“The nuclear deterrent here today keep Britain safe, it keeps Nato safe as well and Scotland is part of that.”

Picture: PA.