Falkirk Council planning committee's flooding fears for Polmont garden centre

The site visit takes place on Monday, August 15 at Klondyke Garden Centre, in Burnside Nursery, Polmont and will give members a chance to see first hand the centre’s plans to build an office building and storage building, as well as more car parking at the location.

The application was called in by members of the committee – Councillor John McLucklie and Councillor James Kerr – due to concerns over flooding near the site over the last few years.

According to the planning documents, the application site is currently occupied in part by a landscape business, which has operated from the site for a number of years.

A house, which was located to the west of the site, has now been demolished.

Klondyke Garden Centre has made provision to accommodate the landscape business in the main garden centre building, but they wish to maintain a presence at the f

front of the site.

The documents state: “This current application seeks to formally extend and redevelop the landscape business to the front of the site. It includes a new storage building, repositioned office and expanded display area in the position of the former house.

“It is noted the landscape display area would be set at a lower level, similar to the former site levels. A new updated drainage strategy, flood risk assessment,

topographical surveys and overland flow paths were submitted to support this application.

"SEPA’s flood risk management maps show the application site may be at high risk of fluvial flooding. As such, the submitted flood risk assessment and accompanying

documents contained detailed hydraulic modelling of the Polmont Burn and Westquarter Burn.”

Council planners have recommended members of the committee grant permission for the application, subject to a number of conditions.

Committee members will also be looking at a second application to install a canopy and small warehouse at the garden centre.

The proposed canopy would cover a paved area to the rear of the main garden centre building, while the proposed warehouse would replace a number of temporary buildings in the working yard.