Special efforts to preserve wildlife and renew green space have been agreed by developers of one of West Lothian’s largest housing developments.
The first detailed plans for the redevelopment of the Bangour Village hospital site were agreed this week by the council’s Development Management Committee after housebuilders said they would comply with calls to appoint an ecology officer to oversee work.
The committee agreed to back the initial construction phase of 357 houses and 55 flats on the site close to the listed buildings which have been retained for conversion to homes and part of a new primary school.
The 400 homes will be a mixture of three storey town houses and flats and two storey detached and semi detached houses. The initial build will include 137 affordable homes.
Councillor Willie Boyle asked about proposals for retail units and was told that these plans are in preparation and will form the basis of the next application for detailed planning permission.
Eventually there will be 998 homes built in the grounds of the former hospital alongside retail and leisure space.
Members of the development team from Ambassador Developments (Bangour) Limited attended the committee and answered questions on a range of details covering the initial construction of 400 homes and wider longer term issues including waste management and cycle and footpath routes across the site.
Leading the developer team Bob Evans told councillors that “tens of millions” had already been invested in the site preparing it for the first bricks to be laid.
Concerns over a traffic increase and its knock on effect raised by Dechmont community council have been allayed by traffic calming measures through the main street of the village which neighbours the hospital site. The developers are also meeting regularly with community council members.
Only one objection, on the grounds of noise, dust and nuisance, was raised by the owners of the cottage nearest to the construction site. They asked the builders to consider more tree planting to screen the site during construction.
Planning officer Matthew Watson went through conditions which had been discussed and agreed and highlighted. In his report he said: “Badger setts will require to be removed, in order to accommodate the development. It is proposed that artificial setts will be constructed to compensate for the loss of setts. A 30m exclusion zone is required around setts until a licence is obtained from Nature Scot.”
The developers have agreed to carry out this and other biodiversity and preservation work.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick called for a condition to be added that a qualified ecologist be hired to work with the developers -a condition which was accepted by the team.
The report added: “The council’s Ecology & Biodiversity team has reviewed all the supporting information submitted with the application and has not objected to the application. It has been recommended that an updated construction and environmental management plan is produced, as well as an updated badger protection plan.”
Of the 302 trees which will be felled 185 are plantation trees while 45 broad leaf trees in the centre of the site will also go, as will 70 younger trees around the boundary.
The developers propose “significant replanting” in the form of specimen/parkland trees, street trees and amenity trees. These trees are proposed to be a mix of heavy standard, extra heavy standard and semi-mature trees and a total of 540 trees are proposed to be planted as compensatory planting. This is well in excess of replanting on a 1:1 basis.
The council’s arborist assessed the replanting proposals and is satisfied with the mix of tree species proposed.
Councillor Willie Boyle sought guarantees that existing pathways through the site would be retained as part of the wider development post construction.
Chairing the committee Councillor Stuart Borrowman said he was aware of how sensitive the development was because of its size adding: “I know it is something that members are keeping a keen eye on.”
Recommending acceptance of the proposals he added the members “are keen to see that the right things are being done in the right order.”
Gordon Coster, Managing Director of Ambassador Group's Developments Division, said: "We are so pleased about reaching this next milestone in realising our vision for Bangour Village Estate.
"We are committed to honouring Bangour's legacy and working with the local community and stakeholders to create a sustainable future for this incredible location.
"We pride ourselves on being a good neighbour within the communities we build in. We have established a Community Liaison Group, which will work to keep open channels of communication between Ambassador, Bangour Village Estate residents and the wider community.
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