A former councillor turned developer has hit out at North Lanarkshire Council after his plans to build new homes in Allanton were rejected.
Tommy Cochrane, who represented the Fortissat ward for several years, had hoped to construct 61 new houses in the area.
However, at this week’s NLC planning committee, councillors voted 11 to seven against the plans, with one member abstaining.
A frustrated Tommy told Lanarkshire Live : “Allanton is dying and one of the reasons I left the council was to try and bring the villages back to life.
“The school is running at 50 per cent capacity and it almost lost its Post Office recently. There’s a reduction of kids going to the school.
“The site is on an ex-sewage works and the fact the council have knocked it back seems absolutely ridiculous.”
Mr Cochrane also confirmed he would be appealing the decision to the Scottish Government Reporter.
In total there were 30 letters of objections to the plans from 18 different parties, including Allanton and Hartwood Community Council.
There were six representations in support.
The council planners report stated: “It is considered that the application doesn’t comply with the development plan and that there are no material considerations to justify a departure from policy.
“The site is greenfield, located in the countryside beyond the edge of Allanton. While rural investment area policy does have some flexibility for development, this is not to the extent proposed.
“Furthermore, there is no need for any additional housing land at this time, a point reinforced by the emerging local development plan.
“The development would therefore be an inappropriate extension of Allanton into the countryside, resulting in the loss of a greenfield site which currently serves a role in marking the edge of the settlement, contributing to the landscape, character and setting of Allanton and providing a level of local habitat.”
However, Mr Cochrane retorted: “Planners had recommended refusal on the fact it was a greenfield site.
“I would argue the point that as an ex-sewage works it is a brownfield works. The foundations are still in the ground.
“I have brought in very experienced planners to deal with the appeal to the Scottish Government but I’m not going to walk away.
“A good proportion of the council could see where I was coming from but obviously it wasn’t enough.
“Allanton hasn’t had any big developments for years. The councillors don’t seem to see the bigger picture.
“That bigger picture is trying to save villages like Allanton.”
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