Hospital site is earmarked
A fresh bid could be lodged to transform the former Killearn Hospital site into a housing estate.
The site, thought to be one of the largest brownfield sites in the Stirling area and once used as a filming location for STV crime drama Taggart, has been considered an eyesore by many for decades, with several ideas for redeveloping it failing to come to fruition.
A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has now been submitted to Stirling Council by Barton Willmore on behalf of CALA Management Limited (CALA), paving the way for a potential planning application to be submitted at a later date.
The PAN suggests a residential mixed use for the site including demolishing the remaining hospital buildings and carrying out remediation work at the site.
Locals will have the opportunity to find out more and to ask questions at public events over the summer.
The developers said this week:“The notice outlines an intention to investigate the proposal for the future development of the site, which will likely result in the submission of a planning application in due course.
“A public exhibition will take place on Wednesday, August 21 from 2-8pm at Killearn Village Hall. The event is open to everyone and the purpose is to engage and consult with all interested members of the local community regarding the proposed development.”
The event will be an informal drop-in and feature information boards about the proposed development. Representatives from the project team will also be there with further details and to answer any questions.
Once an application for the proposed development is submitted to the planning authority people will have a further opportunity to make representations.
The developers are also planning to attend Killearn Community Council’s meeting on June 26.
Several schemes from various developers have been outlined in the past, although none appear to have been deemed financially viable. Transport and accessibility has been a stumbling block, although there have been recent improvements. Decontamination of the site was also thought to have been required before any development work took place because of asbestos.
In 2017, however, potential for future housing on the former hospital site was left firmly on the Local Development Plan by the Scottish Government’s planning reporter. While there was acknowledgement of the“uncertainties”of the site, particularly over the costs associated with asbestos removal and ground remediation, the reporter said it should be designated for 70 residential units.