Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Vision for 500-home development wins planning permission
A new development of up to 523 homes plus a retail and community hub on land near the Airdrie village of Stand has been granted planning permission.
The 36 hectares of open space off Stirling Road, stretching between the A73’s roundabouts with Greengairs Road and Raebog Road, are set to be transformed into a development of five distinct “neighbourhoods”.
It will also include four retail and community units in a gateway crescent overlooking a village green, while a V-shaped area of ancient woodland on the site is to be retained and an eight- hectare habitat management area created at the south of the site.
The application from developers Macrocom was approved by a full meeting of North Lanarkshire Council’s planning hearings committee.
Commenting on the new Airdrie development, council leader Jim Logue said it would be “just the latest in a series” of similar major housebuilding projects across North Lanarkshire.
He said: “Work is well underway on the first phase of a new 500-house development in Carnbroe, and in October we granted planning permission for 750 new homes in Muirhead.
“Our local development plan, which is being finalised, identifies sufficient land for more than 21,000 new homes; and as Scotland’s largest local authority landlord, we are committed to delivering 5000 new affordable council homes by 2035.
“Across North Lanarkshire, there is a growing demand for new homes, with the number of households predicted to rise by 14,000 – around a tenth – by 2041.
“These multi-million pound investments in our area underline our ambition for North Lanarkshire to become the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit.”
Across North Lanarkshire, there is a growing demand for new homes, with the number of households predicted to rise by 14,000 – around a tenth – by 2041
Council leader Jim Logue
Councillors were told in a report how the vacant site at Stirling Road was previously part of the Drumshangie opencast coal mining site, which was restored 14 years ago; and that “planning permissions exist for a potato processing facility to the north-east, and energy from waste plant to the south-east”.
The site is due to be reclassified for housing under the emerging new North Lanarkshire local development plan, with planners advising that the major application “will contribute to the housing land supply, is a sustainable form of development in keeping with the character of the area, and will not undermine greenbelt objectives”.
Work supporting the new development would include creating two new junctions from the A73, located to the north and south of Stand, plus two-lane approach upgrades at both nearby roundabouts; as well as new footpaths and cycleways and an upgraded southbound bus stop and layby.
A new access road is also proposed under the energy plant permission adjoining the north-eastern boundary – and council officials add that, under the Glasgow regional city deal, the authority is “at an early stage of investigating the potential route of the pan-Lanarkshire orbital link, which is likely to be located nearby”.
Councillors were also told that the plans include “substantial efforts to provide pedestrian connectivity in and around the site”, including upgraded footways on existing verges at Greengairs Road and the A73.
Public information events were held in October 2018 and 2400 local residents and businesses also received information leaflets about the proposal.
Five objections were received, citing concerns about increased traffic on an already- busy road with poor pavements; objections to the creation of a pedestrian path to the main road via the centre point of the homes at Stand; plus concerns about the area’s wildlife and impact on local utilities and amenities.
A report for councillors noted that the roundabout lane upgrades would mean “the road network will be able to cope”, and that a traffic island will be provided to assist pedestrians who are crossing; and that the new path network, linking to Stand, would give access to woodland walks for existing and new residents, plus “a safer link to Greengairs and Glenmavis away from the A73”.
The developer will be asked for a contribution of £850,000 to address capacity issues arising from the development at catchment primaries Greengairs and St David’s.