Falkirk councillors will soon decide on plans for 48 homes on greenbelt land, despite local objections and official recommendations against it
Polmont: So, there’s this plan to build 48 new homes on some greenbelt land near Polmont. Falkirk councillors are going to make a decision about it soon. But here’s the kicker—officials are saying they should turn it down.
The developers, Manor Forrest, want to put these homes on a grassy area just north of the A803. But the local community council and others aren’t too happy about it.
Back in October, the council had a hearing where they listened to both the developers and the folks who oppose the project. It was a chance for everyone to share their thoughts.
One big concern is flooding, which the Polmont Community Council brought up. They’re also worried about traffic getting worse and that local services like schools and GP surgeries are already stretched thin.
Even though this site is pretty small, there are plans for another 500 homes nearby in Gilston Park. That’s going to add even more pressure on local schools.
Education services have crunched the numbers and say that if these 48 homes go up, it’ll cost over half a million pounds to upgrade schools. Yikes!
Now, while there’s been some pushback, there are also 25 comments in favor of the development. Supporters think it could really help the area, especially with the housing crisis going on.
But planning officers are sticking to the new Scottish Government guidelines, which say that any development should protect greenbelt land. They’re recommending that the council says no for now, but they might consider it later when they’re working on a new local development plan.
The final call is up to the councillors, and they’ll be meeting on January 15 at 10 am in Grangemouth. If you can’t make it, don’t worry—it’ll be livestreamed on their YouTube channel.
