600 homes refusal
Now protestors gear up for round two of campaign
An appeal has been lodged against the decision to reject a 600home development on greenbelt land between Bridge of Allan and Causewayhead.
The controversial planning application to build at Airthrey Kerse was knocked back by Stirling Council last month. Councillors voted 12-8, with two abstentions, to refuse permission for the proposals submitted by Graham’s The Family Dairy.
But the company lodged an appeal on Tuesday ( April 26), asking that the Scottish Government make a decision based on written representations.
Campaigners who fought against the controversial plans have said they are “ready for round two” and will continue to strenuously oppose the development.
Graham’s appeal states: “In making this appeal under Section 47 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, the Appellants request that the appeal is handled through written representations.
“It i s submitted that the application site and proposed development have been extensively assessed with independent audits commissioned by Stirling Council on key issues and that officers recommended approval of this application for planning permission in principle.
“All this information is before the reporters. There is no technical or professional evidence to the contrary and the significant shortfall in an effective housing land supply is constraining investment within the city.”
The decision by Stirling Council to refuse planning permission was made on the grounds that the houses would be on an area of greenbelt land, and amid concerns about flooding and other issues if the building was to go ahead. The company’s managing director Robert Graham described it as short-sighted and said his firm remains committed to the project. Graham’s want permission to develop the fields next to its Bridge of Allan plant to finance a new £ 20m dairy at Hill o’ Drip, opposite Stirling Agricultural Centre. The firm stated the 600 homes would fund the 150,000 sq ft facility and bring up to 450 new jobs to the area, adding to the 500 people it already employs. However, around 450 letters of objection were issued.
Land at Airthrey Kerse was deemed unsuitable for housing in the council’s Local Development Plan - but the plan is under review and there is a shortfall of 896 houses in the original plan. Local resident John Morgan, who led the opposition campaign, said: “It isn’t unexpected. Obviously it’s a big proposal so I wouldn’t expect them to go away at the first hurdle.
“But it makes us all the more determined to make sure this doesn’t go through.”
Chair of Bridge of Allan Community Council Douglas Dodds said: “We are going to have a meeting to decide a plan of action.
“It’s likely that we’ll do the same as we did with Park of Keir - put it online and get people to submit their comments, which we then pass on to Ministers.
“We’ll strenuously fight against this. We were waiting for the appeal to be lodged, so we could start round two.”
Local resident Duncan McDougall added: “I am quite certain from the evidence I have that they’ll never be able to do the drainage on the site. I could see them losing machinery in the sludge.
“But the big problem if they get their wish to make written submissions is that we cannot question the statements they make.”
A spokesperson for Graham’s The Family Dairy said: “In going against the recommendation of its own officers and the advice of national agencies, the decision displayed a lack of vision in the huge potential that exists for Stirling as a place for all to live, learn and work.
“It was not in the interests of delivering much needed investment in housing, infrastructure and amenities within Stirling. This comes at a time when the council’s Local Development Plan is subject to a challenge in the Court of Session on the grounds its housing strategy is unlawful.
“We have therefore served an appeal with the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals. As we have said from the outset of this process, our primary aim is to continue our 77- year history of delivering s u s t a i n ab l e economic development for the benefit of Stirling and the region.”