Planning committee moves forward with Local Plan

Nov 24 2008

The development of the South Lanarkshire Local Plan has taken a significant step forward after members of the Planning Committee unanimously agreed to the council's response to recommendations from the independent Local Plan Inquiry.

Councillor Graham Scott, the chair of the council's Planning Committee, said: "The Reporters at the Public Local Inquiry covered a great many issues in depth, studying the submissions put forward by the council and objectors and discussing the issues face-to-face with people who took up the offer to attend the inquiry.

"Overall, our plans for South Lanarkshire have stood a great deal of scrutiny and it's heartening that we have successfully defended our position on the vast majority of issues. Having listened to guidance from our own planning officers, we have agreed to accept the majority of the recommendations put forward by the Reporters. Our committee also agreed to reject some proposed modifications and we believe we have a strong planning case for doing so."

In line with the decisions taken at the Planning Committee, a Statement of Decision and Pre-adoption Modifications is now being prepared and will be available for public consultation on the council's website from Thursday 27 November until Friday 16 January 2009 (this is an extended consultation period to allow for the Christmas/New Year holidays).

Councillor Scott added: "The amount of work that has gone in to producing the Local Plan and taking it through the various stages of consultation has been just phenomenal and I would like to pay tribute to our planning officers who have been doing this very difficult job in a most professional way.

"It's in the nature of planning that you can't please all of the people all of the time. But I'm confident that at the end of the day we will have a very relevant development plan for the South Lanarkshire area that will provide clear guidance, ensure we get the right types of development in the right areas while protecting our countryside and heritage."

In the Local Plan inquiry - reporters report 2008 (2.3MB PDF) (this document will open in a new window), The Public Inquiry Reporters supported the council on the vast majority of Local Plan issues including the following:

- Proposals for Community Growth Areas in East Kilbride for 2500 new homes, Hamilton for 2000, Larkhall for 2000, Newton 1500 and Carluke 500 have been supported with only minor modifications to boundaries
- The council's drive to ensure private developments include affordable housing were supported on all sites above 20 units in any housing market area demonstrated by the Local Housing Strategy to be deficient in affordable housing, 25% of that site will be required for affordable housing. The council's preference is for that provision to be met by housing for social rent provided by a Registered Social Landlord (Housing Association)
- The council's identification of potential windfarm areas have been supported. Further work on landscape impacts and on the cumulative impact of new windfarm development is being developed in Supplementary Planning Guidance
- In support of the Local Plan the Reporters supported the council's proposals to develop Supplementary Planning Guidance for affordable housing, developers' contributions, renewable energy and residential development
- The redevelopment of the stadium at Loch Park, Carluke for retailing has been accepted
- The council's position regarding the identification of a suitable site for a supermarket in Larkhall was supported. The site at Raploch Street was supported. The site behind Larkhall Leisure Centre was not favoured in comparison to Raploch Street
- The Reporters agreed to a modification to the plan negotiated between the council and the developer, at West Mains, Stonehouse. Following the approval for a new Community Centre on neighbouring land the development of a commercial leisure (football based) facility and residential development can proceed
- The Reporters supported the council's position in regard to the extension of East Kilbride Town Centre to incorporate Kittoch Field
- The development of a supermarket on the site of the former auction mart in Strathaven is accepted by the reporters
- The Reporters also accepted the deletion of the Colonsay Field/Calderglen Country Park proposal put forward by the council prior to the Public Inquiry
- The Reporters agreed with the council's position for all sites at Biggar, including Biggar Park, Eastfield Farm and Rowhead Court/Rowhead Farm, although a minor change was recommended in the designation of the Edinburgh Road site, changing from a Residential Proposal to a Residential Masterplan
- The Reporters supported the council's position in the rejection of development sites in many of the Clydesdale towns and villages, including Abington, Auchenheath, Blackwood, Braidwood, Brocketsbrae, Crossford, Elsrickle, Kirkfieldbank, Kirkmuirhill, Lanark, Lesmahagow, Libberton, Newbigging, Ravenstruther, Rigside, Roberton, Thankerton and Walston

Modifications to be accepted include the following:

Planning officers explained that while the Council can reject recommendations from the Reporters - there must be very strong planning grounds for doing so. Councillors accepted that the Local Plan should be modified to reflect a number of recommendations put forward by the Planning Reporters.

- The committee accepted a recommendation that the surplus land at Law Primary School is not developed for housing and remains as open space
- Some minor changes to the settlement boundaries at Carmichael, Carnwath, Douglas, Dolphinton, Forth, Kilncadzow, Symington and Wiston were recommended by the Reporters and accepted by the committee
- The Reporters recommended the deletion of residential development at Porterswell, Uddingston but recommended the development of part of the adjacent Cricket and Rugby Club ground for housing with the loss of the pitch dealt with by relocating it on to the Porterswell site. The committee accepted the Reporters' recommendation
- The Reporters have not accepted a large development proposed at Thorntonhall. However, a reduced site, allowing for up to eight houses was recommended and this was accepted by the committee
- The Reporters recommended the removal of land at Mavor Avenue, East Kilbride from the industrial land supply. They viewed the land as an 'area in transition' which should be considered for alternative uses through a framework agreed by all parties. The committee accepted this recommendation
- The Reporters recommended that housing sites at Hunterslees Road, Glassford and Easter Overton in Strathaven be included in the Local Plan - a proportion of which would be earmarked for affordable housing
- A minor modification to increase the capacity of housing on the Hoover Works/Bridge Street site to 300 was also accepted

Modifications not accepted:

However, the committee agreed with the council's Planning Officers that the following recommendations from the Reporters should not be incorporated in the South Lanarkshire Local Plan.

- The Reporters recommended the release of land at Greenlees Farm, Cambuslang and Shields Road, East Kilbride as opportunities for residential development in the longer term. The Reporters suggest that beyond 2013, subject to the rate of house completions, would be an appropriate timescale for these developments to come forward. Officers are concerned that recent and fundamental changes in the housing have slowed down development abruptly, meaning that our existing supply of land for housing will stretch further than had been assumed to be the case during the inquiry. The committee agreed with its own planning officers this modification should not be accepted and that it would be appropriate to consider these sites in the preparation of the next local plan
- The Reporters recommended that land at Cornsilloch near Ashgill is developed for 10 houses to allow the remediation of an adjacent bing. Officers viewed this as being inconsistent with other decisions made on other rural sites where the presence of derelict or despoiled land was not deemed to be a significant enough reason on its own to allow housing development. The committee agreed not to accept this Reporters' recommendation
- The Reporters viewed Covenanters' Field, Bothwell as a suitable housing opportunity. In view however of the council's position not to progress this issue, the committee agreed not to accept the Reporters' recommendation
- The extension of Garrion northwards from the Garrion Bridge was recommended by the Reporters. This would allow for further low density housing and the provision of local services and facilities for the settlement. Officers disagreed with this reasoning on the basis that housing within the Hamilton area is not required and it is questionable whether the extent of development recommended could sustain the establishment of local services. The committee agreed not to accept the Reporters' recommendation