250 sign up to fight homes on green belt

Residents have raised concern over plans for a large-scale housing development on a green belt site in the town.

Proposals in Falkirk Council’s Local Development Plan 2 have identified Crawfield Road as a preferred option to build an extra 450 homes to meet “additional housing requirements” in the wider council area.

Nearly 250 residents have signed an online petition objecting to the plans and have set up a Falkirk LDP2 objection Facebook page.

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They would rather the local authority consider other areas of the town for development rather than any potential use of green belt land.

The petition, started by Richard Hannah (45) and other interested parties, states: “We believe extending the town boundary to the south will draw the focus further away from the town centre and leave this area starving of much-needed attention.

“Development in the Grahamsdyke and foreshore area would help support our struggling retailers, potentially attract new business and support the neglected areas of our town which need regeneration.

“The proposed destruction of the green belt area would remove a beautiful area of the countryside, result in a loss of prime farmland, create a fragmented border to the town and potentially endanger an area of Special Scientific Interest located within this greenbelt area.”

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Residents have until May 5 to respond to any of the proposals in the development plan and help shape the future of the town.

A spokesperson for Falkirk Council said: “Although the document identifies preferred options, these do not yet represent the final view of the council on what should be included in LDP2.

“The outcome of the consultation will help us to prepare the Proposed Plan later in 2017, which will then be subject to further consultation.

“Information on the consultation, the plan process, and how to make a formal representation may be found at www.falkirk.gov.uk/ldp2.”