Developers hoping to build a major new retail and housing development in Thornhill, which has already attracted a host of objections, have lodged an appeal to the Scottish Government.
Inverdunning (Thornhill) Ltd, in conjunction with JCC, the owner of the existing agricultural business on the application site, had submitted an application to Stirling Council planners for permission in principle for their project.
They want to use land north west of Burnside Works in Main Street for employment, retail and residential use, including affordable housing.
Residential land on the northern part of site is expected to have scope for around 70 new homes.
However, they have now appealed to the DPEA (Scottish Government planning division), on the basis of non-determination after the council failed to meet a decision deadline.
Council planners said this week the local authority election held up a decision on the proposal, an application for which was officially recorded on December 6 last year, and the developers were within their rights to refuse an extension to the timescale.
They said: “The application was considered significantly contrary to the Stirling Local Development Plan 2018 and therefore required determination by pre-determination hearing (PDH) and full council.
“A planning processing agreement (PPA) was in place until 30 April 2022.
“Due to the local government election, to provide time for an administration to be formed and time for the required PDH/full council procedures, officers sought to agree an extension to the PPA to allow determination no later than 29 July 2022.
“The applicant declined to extend [the PPA]. There is no requirement for an applicant to do so and PPAs are completely at the discretion of the parties involved and cannot be enforced unilaterally.
“As there is no longer any agreed timescale for determination and the statutory timescale has expired, the applicant is legally entitled under Section 47(2) of the Planning Act to appeal on grounds of non-determination.
“The council will respond to the matters raised in the appeal in due course.”
The DPEA said in an update on Tuesday: “The period for interested members of the public to make representation ends on 5 June 2022. Any representations received by the deadline will be passed to the planning authority and agent/appellant for their comments.”
In documents submitted with their appeal, agents for the developers said: “There is a clear and significant housing land shortfall in Stirling (both local authority wide and within rural housing market area) against both development plan and effective land supply targets.
“The proposal is for sustainable development and can bring regeneration benefits to rural Stirling and Thornhill in particular, with a range of homes (including 33 per cent affordable provision), direct employment / workspace, community facilities, greenspace, paths and connectivity improvements adjacent to an established bus route and active travel routes on a mix of brownfield land and non-prime agricultural land where best use of land would be for community growth needs.
“Thornhill is not currently a sustainable village as it lacks sufficient employment opportunities – this proposal will make Thornhill a sustainable village.
“The application did not receive any objections from statutory consultees other than the community council.”
The developers have previously said the project would support £25million of new capital investment, £7.6m new injection into the regional construction sector, 134 net jobs, a GVA injection of £5.6m into the local economy, £240k per annum in new Council Tax receipts and £2.1m per annum in new retail spend.
However, several locals have objected to the plans, many fearing the Main Street will be unable to cope with the increase in traffic and the school unable to cope with increased numbers of pupils.
In one objection, Craig Black said: “Thornhill is a beautiful small village at the moment containing all the advantages of village life to the residents. There is a good community spirit, small school, it is aesthetically pleasing, safe and quiet. This new development threatens to change the ‘feel’ of the village completely and will look hideous.
“My family and I will seriously consider moving away from the village if it goes ahead. I am sure many other residents have the same idea.”
