Holmehill Community Buyout

The Braeport Meadow Application

In December 2011 Allanwater Developments Ltd submitted a planning application for the erection of 19 dwellings on the meadow east of the Braeport Centre.   This was the first firm proposal by Allanwater Developments since they bought Holmehill in 2006.   It marked a crucial stage in the campaign to preserve the amenity of the site.

On 25th January 2012 the application was temporarily withdrawn.   We think the applicants had originally made a mistake about the ownership of the access corridor to the site from the Braeport: the area in the top-left corner of the plan above, marked with dotted red lines.   Allanwater do not own all of this area, and this mistake had to be corrected.   On 7th February 2012 the application was re-accepted by the Council.

We strongly opposed the application. We submitted a detailed response, stressing the following points:

• Holmehill has the potential to be developed as an accessible thriving natural environment, used and cherished by all the community
• this land was currently designated as open green space within the conservation area in Stirling Local Plan 1999 and the the Draft Proposed Local Development Plan 2011 confirmed this designation
• under the Section 75 agreement between Stakis and Stirling Council, 1987, and binding on any future owner, it was accepted that the land "shall never be used except as public pedestrian areas and public open space". (Click here to see a copy of the agreement.)
• the construction of any houses on Holmehill would have a detrimental effect on flora and fauna, in particular trees, deer and bats
• the 19 houses proposed would be extremely near large mature trees which may pose a threat to the houses, and if the trees were removed would have detrimental impact on the landscape, in particular the backdrop to Dunblane Cathedral
• the access to the site is off the Braeport, a narrow ancient road, unsuitable and dangerous for construction vehicles or the volume of traffic 19 houses would generate.

Many residents of Dunblane wrote as individuals to the Council, expressing their opposition.   On the 19th of July 2012 the application was withdrawn.

Image: Architect's plan of proposed development.   From the planning application to Stirling Council.