Falkirk's Braes residents lodge petition against Persimmon Homes' housing development

The Braes Greenspace – Shieldhill Hillcrest Group, which was formed at the start of 2019, has the support Avonbridge and Standburn, Brightons, Maddiston, Reddingmuirhead and Wallacestone and Shieldhill and California Community Councils.

The group’s petition, which is now live on the survey monkey site, is looking for people to support the removal of Persimmon Homes’ plans to build 91 houses on land to the south west of Tappernail Farm in Reddingmuirhead, and for Falkirk Council to refuse the firm’s planning application.

They have proposed an alternative plan which would see the formation of a community woodland.

The petition states: “There has been a lot of interest and support for maintaining recreational amenities, including open space, greenspace and woodlands, in our area, in particular around Shieldhill and Hillcrest/Tappernail.“COVID-19 lockdowns have highlighted how important it is to have and protect local greenspace on our doorstep. We need support to ensure the greenspace we have remains.“Given the recognised need for greenspace provision in the area, its current use by the local community as informal open space and the potential the site offers, we are calling on Falkirk Council to refuse the Hillcrest Persimmon application for 91 houses in favour of Braes Community Woodland, a sustainable development which will serve the current and future recreational needs of Braes communities across all generations.”

The petition goes on to appeal to Persimmon’s newly appointed CEO, Dean Finch, to “do the right thing” and withdraw the Hillcrest application and walk away from the site.

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Danny Callaghan, convener of Reddingmuirhead and Wallacestone Communty Council, said: “We understand there is an alternative proposal for the site at Hillcrest, proposed by Braes Greenspace – Shieldhil and Hillcrest Group.

“This proposal relates to a community buy out and turning this site into Community Woodland for the benefit of the Reddingmuirhead and Shieldhill and surrounding communities. Reddingmuirhead and Wallacestone Community Council are in favour of this comment on this planning application and support proposals which would increase greenspace for the local community.

“The area of Reddingmuirhead had an estimated population of 2367 back in 2017, and that figure has increased since that date.

"There is no public open green space – the population has doubled in the last 20 years using up almost all of any green space in the area.

“During the lockdown period, the land identified by Braes Greenspace at Hillcrest was used, and is still extensively used, by the public for recreation. This illustrates the public demand for such recreational areas.”

Falkirk Council stated it had not yet received the petition.

A spokesman added: “Given the time that has elapsed since this planning application was last considered by the planning committee, it was considered prudent to re-consult and notify those parties who had previously made a representation, including community councils and further neighbour notification.

“The matters raised by representations or any petition received will be covered in a report along with any other representations that have been received and brought to a future meeting of the planning committee.”

Visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk//r/VTCJ3CH for more information.

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