THE former college site in Sauchie could be transformed into a housing estate, it has been announced.

Ediston Homes have submitted a planning application to Clackmannanshire Council to build 149 properties just off Branshill Road.

All units are to be two-storey houses, with a small number set aside for council housing needs.

The old Forth Valley College grounds have been disused for years and the land has been highlighted previously as an area for development.

A spokesman for Ediston Homes told the Advertiser: “We have planning permission in principle for 149 units, a small number of which will be affordable housing which we will give to the council and they will sort out those as they see fit.

“The rest of the properties will be from two-bed houses up to four-bed mid-size houses and every unit will be a two-storey house.”

The company are hoping to start work on the properties by around May of next year, although they don’t yet have any indication of how much the homes may cost when they are ready.

He continued: “We are still at the early stages so we don’t know anything about cost but we are hoping to be on site during the second quarter of next year.

“We hope the houses look and feel better than most affordable homes.”

As well as the houses themselves, the move will see streets being built to provide extra safety in the area, using the Design by Street initiative.

This is a policy aimed at making an area safer, with obstacles being placed on the street which are designed to slow traffic down to around 20mph.

On this particular project, there will be a main road running through the site with other private roads for the new residents of these properties.

Out of the 149 properties, a small number will be handed over to Clackmannanshire Council to use as affordable properties, and it is believed these will be the only units which will be rented out, rather than sold.

Housing spokesperson Cllr Craig Holden said: “This council is determined to ensure that more affordable housing is available for people in Clackmannanshire and a section 75 agreement for at least seven affordable houses exists for this site.”

Forth Valley College sold the site to Ediston Homes in July 2017, but it is not the first time permission has been sought to build there.

Previous plans were submitted back in 2012, and garnered a number of objections from neighbours who voice reservations about whether the properties would be council housing; whether there would be any boundary changes and issues over increased traffic congestion.