Council fail to decide on 400 new homes for Whitecross

New homes and jobs would be welcome in Whitecross and make a vital contribution to Falkirk’s economic recovery from Covid-19 – but only if agreement can be reached on improving roads to and from the village.
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Members of Falkirk Council’s planning committee, which met in an online session, were reluctant to turn down, once again, plans to redevelop the site of the former Manuel brickworks.

The plans, submitted by CWC Group, include 400 new homes as well as a commercial and community units.

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Local councillor John McCluckie was given permission to speak to the committee and he urged members to give the go-ahead, saying the area has waited long enough for development.

Developers want to build 400 new homes on the former brickworks site in WhitecrossDevelopers want to build 400 new homes on the former brickworks site in Whitecross
Developers want to build 400 new homes on the former brickworks site in Whitecross

Provost Billy Buchanan and Grangemouth councillor Allyson Black were also eager to see the plans become reality as soon as possible.

But the planners said that while there were certainly economic benefits to the brownfield site being developed, they couldn’t ignore concerns such as the narrow bridge over the railway line at Myrehead Road.

At the moment, it is single lane only, controlled by traffic lights and their concern is that it would not cope with the traffic that a new development would generate.

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However, CWC Group disagree and, in a written submission, they told councillors that they have assessed the junction and believe it would cope with the forecast increase in traffic.

The planners are also worried the development would bring large vehicles to the area which would not cope with the gradient of the junction – again the developers dispute this.

Planners also have worries about the width of a new pavement and cycle lane on Haining Road, which narrows as it nears the village but cannot be made wider because the developers don’t own the land beside it.

Councillor Adanna McCue also raised concerns about the possibility of the 400 houses becoming a larger development which would impact on the small primary school.

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In the two-hour long debate, councillors heard that only one objection had been received to the plans.

After a vote, they agreed to continue to the application to see if discussions could move things further forward.

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