Overtown and Waterloo News Planning conundrum
A new policy which the SNP are looking to introduce could have helped prevent an unwanted Overtown housing development.
That ’ s the view of Overtown and Waterloo Community Council vicechairman Jim Brownlie who believes the new proposal would have benefited the community had it been in place.
Two years after controversial proposals to build over 600 houses in Overtown were lodged, the Planning Minister finally gave them the go- ahead earlier this year.
The houses, planned for Castlehill Road, sparked fury amongst residents worried about traffic, school places and pollution.
However, new policy from the SNP over devolving powers to the local community may benefit future projects, says the vicechairman. He said: “It’s too late for us but the wording in the proposal could be huge for future developments.
“It would alter the way planning was carried out in the future because they would involve the local community right from the start. We can’t undo the decision that was made but if they consult community councils in the future, the outcome may be different.”
The policy from the SNP over devolving powers to the local community states: “We believe the best people to decide the future of our communities are the people who live in those communities.
“We’ll consult on and introduce new legislation to decentralise local authority functions, budgets and democratic oversight to local communities.
“We will also give people much more control over how public money is spent in their area by setting councils a target of having at least one per cent of their budget subject to participatory budgeting.”