Revived housing plans include football pitch and cemetery in Dollar
Ashleigh Burns • Published 16 Feb 2012 08:00
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FOLLOWING a standstill, plans for up to 20 new homes, a cemetery, football pitch and changing facilities in Dollar could go ahead after a new developer acquired the land adjacent to Kelly Burn and Lovers Loan and took over the existing planning consent.
Mactaggart & Mickel Group has taken on the site and benefits from consent given for a mixed use development, as originally sought by AWG Property Ltd and Taylor Wimpey in 2007 through an outline planning application.
Ken Hopkins, strategic land manager at Mactaggart & Mickel Group, commented, "Mactaggart & Mickel Group is looking forward to working in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council and the local community in delivering a successful project that both contributes to the local housing stock and enhances Dollar's services.
"We purchased the site with existing planning permission. However with any development we undertake further consultation with local stakeholders to ensure any issues can be addressed before our plans are submitted. With this site, that process will be no different."
It is expected that a detailed planning application will be submitted to the council in the early summer and construction is likely to start on the homes in 2013, with proposals to include a number of localised improvements such as an expanded sports pitch for Strathdevon Primary School, an additional local cemetery provision and an upgrade to Lovers Loan.
When the application was first lodged in 2007 it caused unrest within the community which did not support the residential development - concerns included traffic safety, flooding issues and green belt land.
As part of the application conditions included that a cemetery and sports pitch with offsite changing facilities would be provided - amenities the town was crying out for.
However plans stalled last year when the previous developers pulled out, prompting the community to turn to the council to provide the much needed facilities which some said should never have been tied to the application.
Mactaggart & Mickel's acquisition is the latest progression and Dollar Community Council chairman Mick Rice said this is the first he has heard of any development in the situation.
The view of the community council is still against the building of houses however it was realistic that plans would still go ahead, and not much more will be known until detailed plans have been lodged.
Mr Rice added, "We are pleased to see that at least there is movement as far as the playing field and cemetery are concerned."
He said that the developer's commitment to consultation would be appreciated, "We would be very welcome to talk about it with them and if they wanted to do that [consult] we would welcome them with open arms."
Previously Dollar Glen FC was also in favour of a development which would bring a new football pitch as the club has been fighting for one for over a decade, since the civic centre was built on the Market Park playing fields.
The club, which plays in the Forth Valley Welfare League, had been forced to go outwith Dollar and have been using the Johnstone Park in Alva as their home pitch due to a lack of adequate changing facilities.
This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 15 Feb 12
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Hernandez
Unregistered User
Feb 18, 14:35
Report commentGood news from the point of view of the football pitch. Hope the
developers also involvethe football club, Dollar Glen FC, in consultations. The club have waited a long time on this day coming.
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