Residents’ road fears over new homes plan
Proposal willput‘huge pressure’on local routes
Plans for a housing development at the end of a Bothwell cul-de-sac will put ‘huge pressures’ on the area’s roads according to nearby residents.
Miller Homes have submitted a detailed proposal for 105 homes at Bothwellbank by the River Clyde at the end of the village’s Clyde Avenue.
It follows a public consultation meeting held by the developer in the village last December.
Residents in the vicinity believe the scheme, occupying 26 acres, will put unacceptable pressures on adjacent roads like Clyde Avenue, Silverwells Crescent and Blantyre Mill Road.
Clyde Avenue resident Lesley Tait said last week: “A huge amount of traffic would be caused by an additional 105 houses.
“There is very little off-road parking in Clyde Avenue. There are parked cars along the side of the road at all times.
“And with the sewerage works at the end of Clyde Avenue large Scottish Water tankers go up and down the road during the day.
“These vehicles sometimes struggle to get up and down — especially at weekends when double parking is common.”
Ms Tait also expressed concern about an increase in air pollution which she said was also an issue given the site’s proximity to the nearby Raith interchange, M74, M8 and East Kilbride Expressway.
Bellshill and Uddingston MSP Richard Lyle said: “I was disappointed to see that residents weren’t given what I would consider to be appropriate notification.
“In addition, I share local people’s concern about access to the site and the subsequent pressure on Clyde Avenue, the road leading to the development.”
Other objections to the scheme include its impact on wildlife. Clyde Avenue resident Colin Mcqueen in his submission to the council stated: “The site has a rich diversity of wildlife.
“This includes deer, which are regularly spotted on the site, and there are several families of foxes. All of this will be lost to our area if this development goes ahead.”
A Miller Homes spokesperson said: “As part of the planning process, we’ve monitored the traffic flow around the site for some time and carried out an in-depth transport assessment which has shown that not only will there be no transport related issues, the proposals are actually much improved from a previously approved application from another builder in terms of access to and from Clyde Avenue.
“Another key consideration for us is ecology and we are conducting a detailed habitat survey which will be given to South Lanarkshire Council in due course.
“We were pleased to note however that a recent report concluded that not only was there no resting sites or evidence of otters, water voles or bat roosts on the site, the habitat here wouldn’t be suitable for them.”
By Tuesday evening, planners had received 16 letters of objection.
A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “All residents within 20 metres of an application site require, under planning legislation, to be neighbour notified.
“This process was undertaken by the Planning Service on June 26. The application was also advertised in the local press on July 6.
“Whilst any parties have 14 days from the date of advertising of the application to make representation, the council will accept representations up until five working days prior to the date of committee.
“No date for this has yet been set.”