A DOZEN flats and seven houses are to be built on the grounds of the former Fairfield School.

Clackmannanshire Council’s Planning Committee approved the development on Thursday.

The site will contain six houses and two storey blocks of flats.

A report to the committee read, “Two pairs of semi-detached houses would form the Pompee Road frontage, with the new access to the site formed between them, and leading to a shared surface cul-de-sac serving the other units.” It also noted that while the Local Development Plan, which outlines areas for development in the county, allocates the site for only 14 units, 19 homes would be acceptable as it would deliver “100 per cent affordable housing”.

The former school building was demolished earlier this year and it is expected that some of the original sandstone used in that building will be re-used during construction.

Neighbours voiced concerns that the height of the buildings would lead to a loss of their privacy but planners deemed the properties would “not present an unacceptable degree of overlooking or loss of privacy to adjoining residents”.

They added, “The proposed units in the northwest part of the site adjacent to 45b/45c Fairfield Road would be single storey, where the existing boundary wall would prevent direct window to window overlooking of neighbouring houses.” Councillors unanimously agreed the plans.