Development near country park gets the go-ahead on appeal

Plans for a large housing development next to Townhill Country Park at Dunfermline have been passed on appeal.

Glasgow-based developer MacTaggart and Mickel saw its blueprint for 92 homes turned down by Fife councillors almost a year ago.

The decision has been formally overturned by the Scottish Government reporter.

The proposals for the fourhectare farmland site between Kent Street and Townhill Road were rejected by the council’s west planning committee on the grounds it would result in overdevelopment.

Townhill Community Council was worried about a lack of school capacity, traffic calming measures and access issues for existing properties.

Scottish Government reporter David Liddell said: “On balance, I do not find that the proposal would be overdevelopment of the site.

“Despite the relatively small gardens of many of the proposed houses, I do not consider that the amount and distribution of garden ground and open space would cause significant adverse effects on the amenity of occupants of existing housing or of those of the proposed development.”

Mr Liddell highlighted concerns about traffic but suggested “active street frontages at this point would likely assist the council’s aims of reducing vehicle speeds” on the stretch of road.

However, Mr Liddell rejected a claim by MacTaggart and Mickel for the local authority to pay its appeal expenses after the firm suggested Fife Council had acted unreasonably and failed to give “proper and reasonable” reasons for refusal.