Builders to knock down house they bought for £385k

Apr 3 2008 By Caireen Kelly

A LUXURY detached house is set to be bulldozed to make way for a road into a multi-million-pound development site.

Residents in Woodfoot Road, Hamilton, say the property looks likely to be flattened to open up the former Earnock High School site.

Property website Myhouseprice.com, confirmed the house at 87 Woodfoot Road was sold for £385,000 in October last year.

People in the street estimated that the price was up to £180,000 more than the going rate for similar properties in the area.

South Lanarkshire Council marketed the Earnock High land after the decision was taken to close the school.

Construction company Barratt West Scotland have now lodged an application to build 132 homes on the 5.6-acre school site — and demolish 87 Woodfoot Road.

It is proposed to use the land at 87 Woodfoot Road to enlarge the roundabout and create a fresh access.

Residents say developers have bought the house at 87 Woodfoot Road and intend to demolish the property, which is currently empty, to create a new access.

The move has angered Janette Sutherland and husband Roy, of 89 Woodfoot Road, who said: “We are very much against it because we are being directly affected by the plans, as we face the prospect of losing one entrance to our home.

“Besides that, we would also agree with other residents’ concerns about the road being unable to cope with the added volume of traffic from the new homes.”

Pat and Ian Barnes, 85 Woodfoot Road, believe the developers had looked at other access options.

One involved land occupied by the Avon pub, Woodfoot Road, and another was the nearby Church of Latter Day Saints.

Mrs Sutherland added: “We are not objecting to the building of the new houses, but this is a main road which leads out to Strathaven and it is busy enough as it is.

“Both the church and the pub refused to move, so now we are the last resort, our only hope now is that the road safety survey which is to be carried out will underline our concerns and lead to the proposal being turned down.”

SNP councillor Graeme Horne said: “Further reports such as a traffic impact assessment have to be carried out.

“Following a meeting on site with residents, planning and roads officials, Indpendent Councillor Tommy Gilligan and I, it was agreed that the builder would be contacted and a number of questions asked and solutions sought.

“If the development is to proceed I want it to have the full backing of the residents.

“This means that the builder working with residents to bring a solution which is agreeable to everyone.”

A spokesman for Barratt West Scotland said: “The proposed development at the Earnock High School site is still in the planning process.

“Therefore, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further until this process has been completed.”

South Lanarkshire Council said the application was under consideration and they are currently awaiting responses from statutory consultees.

As such, no date has been set for a committee hearing.

They also said that to date, 14 representations had been received.

They claimed that all representations and concerns would be fully considered as part of the assessment process.