A new residential development of 294 homes in East Kilbride has been approved by councillors.
The application for the development was made by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes and is on land situated within the East Kilbride Community Growth Area in Jackton.
The proposals were approved by elected members of South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee yesterday (March 29).
The development will include two separate sections, separated by Gill Burn, a total of 282 homes which are mostly detached and semi – detached with a small number of terraced units, 12 cottage flats will also be built.
The proposals include the provision of 40 on-site affordable housing units – with the remaining affordable housing provision to be provided through the payment of financial contributions through the original planning gain agreement secured in 2020.
Councillor Jackie Burns (Larkhall), questioned the number of affordable homes, he said: “Clearly the Scottish Government has given recommendations to developers and councillors about the percentage of social housing within development, but given that Barratt Homes is such a major player not just in the community growth area but across the country, there’s going to be 40 social homes out of 294 homes in total and there would be a private contribution too.
"Could we not negotiate that the percentage of social housing is actually higher?”
In response to his concerns, planning officers revealed that the original legal agreement set out the parameter of a 25 per cent contribution.
It is also up to the council’s housing services to decide how many units it wants on the site and how much financial contribution it wants – this will equate to the 25 per cent across the full site.
The development will see two car access roads to the site from Eaglesham Road which will serve the northern and southern sections proposed.
A number of pedestrian accesses to the site from Eaglesham Road and Hayhill Road are also proposed to be formed along with a footpath connection.
The proposals also include landscaping, open space areas and play provisions as well as a 16 hectare woodland walk which will provide additional usable greenspace to the area.
Neighbourhood consultation was carried out and four letters of representation were received, this included two objections and two comments relating to biodiversity, climate change and amenity.
All concerns were countered and planning officers stated that none of the points raised warrant refusal of the application in this case.
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