Developer’s plans have been thwarted
An Ashgill man say his plans to leave a legacy in his home town have been thwarted by South Lanarkshire Council.
Born and bred in the town, Douglas Collins had hoped to turn an overgrown plot of land along a former railway line into affordable housing to help keep Ashgill vibrant.
However, a review into a planning application went against him, meaning the site – just centimetres from the settlement boundary – will not be turned into 12 homes.
Douglas says he didn’t want to moan about his application being rejected, instead he wanted to highlight the opportunity South Lanarkshire Council has let slip through its fingers.
He said: “I am not a blow-in developer, here to make a quick buck. I was born and brought up in Ashgill.
“I am happily retired and the main purpose of my planning application was to bring affordable housing and tidy off the land.
“My vision for Ashgill is to bring 12 semi-detached affordable homes, designed for first-time buyers. This does not solve our housing crisis, but it is initiatives like this that can pave the way for positive change for our community and beyond.
“Not only would this modern development bring new homes to Ashgill, it would also enhance the appearance of the current state of the site – a former railway line closed by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.
“A blow-in developer would probably take one look at the site and dismiss it – the cost of levelling the railway embankment is likely to negate any profit from the houses.”
Douglas added: “The planning department have missed this opportunity for positive change. I cannot think of a better use for this brownfield site.
“It could be used to bring people back into Ashgill and breathe new life into our community, allowing local people to own a home and make a step towards tackling our housing shortage all at once.”
In his working life, Douglas has been based in different parts of Scotland and even worked abroad for a time.
He never forget his roots though and returned to Ashgill with his wife in 2011.
He added: “I have spent most of my life working in construction and have always believed that my work has benefited local communities.
“I believe it is true that we are in a housing crisis in this country. Cities are becoming even more unaffordable and I believe that villages like Ashgill need to retain and attract people to keep communities alive.
“We can only achieve this if we have affordable housing. Precisely what I want to deliver.”
Douglas has already been helping the community in Ashgill through his management of the site, which lies north west of Millburn Road.
Earlier this year, he cleared the site but not in preparation for construction. Trees growing on the railway embankment had been causing problems for neighbours, especially in high winds.
To remove the nuisance for them, they’ve all been removed and, as a result, Scottish Water can now access the site for planned maintenance work – potentially saving the tax payer money.
At the review hearing in October, Douglas was frustrated as he wasn’t allowed to address the panel. He felt council officers weren’t able to answer councillors’ questions when he could have filled them in.
“The planning authority is not fit for purpose,” he added. “They are not making consistent decisions.
“I believe that the procedure of the appeal board hearing was less than adequate in representing my submission.
“Had I or my representative been allowed to speak, we could have confirmed that north of my site is owned by several individual householders on Ashgillhead Road.
“It was frustrating to sit there and not say anything.
“The decision relied heavily on the grounds that this site is currently in the greenbelt area.
“However, there have been three planning applications successfully applied for in Ashgill next to my site during the last 20 years.”
Geraldine Mccann, South Lanarkshire Council’s head of administration and legal services, explained how the Planning Local Review Body (PLRB) determine the course of any review.
She said: “The procedure adopted at the council’s PLRB is governed and regulated by Scottish Government legislation, in particular, the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and associated regulations.
“As a committee of the council, it also has to comply with the council’s Standing Orders on Procedures. Members of the PLRB see all review documents in advance of making a determination.
“The planning advisers operate in accordance with Best Practice guidance, and don’t take part in the decision making process.”
And she added: “Their role is purely to guide the PLRB through the review documents in order that they can come to an independent decision on the planning application.”