Cemetery plan before council

Plans for around 70 houses and a cemetery in Strathblane which have attracted almost 100 objectors are to be brought before Stirling councillors on Tuesday.

Stirling Council planners are recommending that the application by Gladman Developments for land 160 metres south of Broadgate House, Campsie Road, be refused when the planning panel meets.

The developers are hoping the‘gifting’of land for a new cemetery in the village will help to persuade panel members to give the go-ahead to the proposal.

However, housing at the site had failed to be included in the Local Development Plan after Stirling Council said any housing allocation on the site would“compromise the integrity of the green belt and be detrimental to the attractive andscape setting of the village”. Part of the land, however, is allocated for a burial ground.

The pre-application consultation stage for the developer’s plans also attracted a 190-signature petition from villagers earlier this year, urging Stirling Council to adhere to its development plan and reject the homes proposal. A questionnaire seeking views on the plan was also sent out to villagers and of the 212 responses, 206 were against the homes development, five in favour and one‘didn’t know’.

There were 92 contributions to the planning application itself - 87 objections, three representations and two in support.

Strathblane Community Council have objected on grounds of green belt protection, flooding, landscape and visual impacts, historic environment, social infrastructure, road and public transport, biodiversity and cemetery provision.

In a report due before Tuesday’s panel meeting, council planners said:“On balance, it is considered that the proposed development is contrary to the LDP and it is also contrary to the Proposed Plan and Scottish Planning Policy. .”

Gladman, however, have said they believe the planning application can show how the site can be developed without harm to the green belt or the village setting.

The developers say a third of the houses would be affordable housing, the need for which has been raised by villagers.