DEVELOPERS hope to turn Tullibody’s former Tullis Factory site into a housing estate.

A planning application for 27 new builds with associated access, footpaths and parking was submitted by Kingdom Housing Association to Clackmannanshire Council at the end of last month.

Janette McGowan, chair of Tullibody, Cambus and Glenochil Community Council, told the Advertiser, “We want to ensure that local residents are fully aware of this.

“Residents have been anxious over recent years of how this site will be developed and how it will impact on their lives. Many residents in Delph Road, Alloa Road and Main Street, which border the site, have lived at this location most of their lives and are worried that it might bring more problems with anti-social behaviour and road traffic issues.

“It is our duty to ensure that their views are heard. This is a very important development and with this being the holiday season we need to ensure that residents don’t hear about this after the fact when they return from holiday and it’s too late to comment.” For more than a decade Tullibody residents have debated, campaigned and protested in respect to the Tullis site’s future. The original tanning factory on the grounds was opened in 1890 when the Delph Pond was used as a source of water to cool the plant. Over the years it provided employment for many local people, both as a tanning factory and then later as a plastic works.

Following many recessions, the factory eventually closed and fell into disrepair. It caused concern as it became derelict and created problems due to it being categorised as a listed B building.

Janette said, “For a while suggestions were that it could be turned into flats, but this never came to fruition. Campaigns, action groups and petitions continued due to plans for a roadway to go through the site and service the plot, continuing up to what is now Delph Wynd. Fortunately our local heritage was saved and the road never came to pass.” In 2001 the council bought the site for a nominal £2 from John Tullis & Son (Plastics). It was then marketed for sale, to which the Tullibody Regeneration Group’s offer to purchase the plot for a new eco-friendly community centre was turned down in favour of Barratt Homes’ undisclosed bid in 2007.

Janette noted, “It was all done behind closed doors and the sale price was never revealed to the local community, only mentions of millions.” In 2009 Historic Scotland granted approval for the old factory to be demolished. Before and after this, Barratt Homes submitted planning applications for private housing in 2008 and again in 2010, but withdrew due to the then recession.

Because of this the sale fell through and Clackmannanshire Council retained the site. Now Kingdom Housing Association - based in Fife - intends to supply social housing via a mixture of houses and flats with an entrance off Delph Road.

Janette added, “Delph Road is quite unique in that it retains some of the original houses and cottages built back in the late 1800 and early 1900s and the residents have always been passionate about trying to preserve this heritage whilst embracing the new in a holistic sense. Preserving the Delph Pond and our natural heritage and wildlife are paramount in this modern age.

“As a community we only have a few very short weeks to look at these new development plans and consider the impact on our current community. Hopefully the plans for the new home types are acceptable but will the development enhance our current neighbourhood or bring new problems to contend with?

“We’re all hoping that this new development will be good news for locals, but we need to make sure that all the hard work and campaigning in the past hasn’t been in vain.” Scott Kirkpatrick, Kingdom Housing Association development manager, said, “In March 2014, Kingdom Housing Association acquired a site adjacent to Delph Road in Tullibody from Clackmannanshire Council. The council retains ownership of the other part of the overall site, which is adjacent to Alloa Road.

“The site acquisition was based on our proposal to build 27 new homes, a balanced mix of family houses and cottage flats, which will deliver much needed affordable housing as part of Clackmannanshire Council’s 2012-15 Strategic Local Programme (SLP). We hope to be able to start on site later this year.

“In addition to the normal planning consultation processes, there has already been a well-attended community consultation event on Sunday 1 June, which provided Kingdom HA with an excellent level of feedback on the hopes and fears of the local community. “As a follow up to that event, staff from Clackmannanshire Council and Kingdom HA are jointly visiting a number of neighbouring residents over the next few weeks to talk things through with individuals.” Kingdom Housing representatives and local council officers will be visiting the site on Thursday 10 July. If you have any issues you want raised, please call 07720592926.