Concerns raised over new homes proposal
Developers insist a new housing and holiday let project near Drymen could provide much needed family homes – despite concerns being raised.
Swilken Construction Pension has submitted a listed building application to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planners to redevelop a steading at Coldrach Farm off Coldrach Lane at Buchanan Smithy.
The redevelopment would see six residential units created plus another house built on the footprint of a former animal pen. Three detached holiday lets and parking are also part of the plans.
Six objections have been lodged so far, mainly on traffic and access grounds.
In documents submitted with the application, agents for the developers said: “The steading building is currently unused and in poor condition. Previous proposals by the owners to demolish and reconstruct the buildings to accommodate new housing have proven ultimately unsuccessful.”
On the latest plans, they added: “Whilst the existing buildings are in significant disrepair, every effort has been made to retain as must of the listed fabric as possible. Structural engineers have assessed the structure and identified the areas which can be retained with minimal repair, areas which would require major repairs, and areas which are beyond repair and would require demolition.
“Supplementary guidance for housing advised there is a need for more modest sized family homes in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park area. The housing within the proposed scheme is centred around providing such housing for the area. Each of the seven houses accommodates three bedrooms.”
The housing would be a mixture of one-storey and two-storeys, with each two-storey home having bedroom and bathroom accommodation on the ground floor to provide for accessibility needs and an aging population. Parking has been made available in close, if not immediate, proximity to the entry door.
The agents added: “The holiday lets to the north of the site have been redesigned since the previous application to reduce the scale and mass of the houses.
Landscaping proposals will act to screen the holiday lets from wider views of the site and integrate the building group into the surrounding landscape.”
One local, whose home has been in their family for almost 70 years, said: “Notwithstanding the emotional distress and anxiety the noise, dust and fumes resulting from the increased heavy traffic would cause, the issue of safety for our small community is of great concern.
“During the summer months and at weekends, the Drymen/balmaha road is already very busy and congestion often results in the road being closed by the police at Buchanan Smithy. Any additional traffic issues would create a huge problem for residents and other road users as there is insufficient turning or parking space at the entrance to the terrace.
“The narrow, single track farm road and was never intended for the use of the heavy volume of traffic and type of vehicles now being proposed. Even with the current levels of traffic it is constantly under repair.
“Besides being used by local farmers for access to their livestock, this has always been a quiet, peaceful lane used by locals and visitors for walking, cycling and enjoying the landscape and wildlife. This type of pristine natural environment of which the national park is justly proud, deserves to be fervently protected for future generations to enjoy.”