COUNCILLORS IGNORE LOCAL OPINION AND APPROVE LOCAL PLAN

Campaigners opposing the inclusion of the Redmoss Farm site in Milton of Campsie have slammed local representatives for ignoring the massive opposition to the development from the local community who they represent. The Milton of Campsie Greenbelt Preservation campaign have led the fight for the removal of the popular and ecologically significant local greenbelt area from the East Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan 3 which has earmarked the site for development of 80 new affordable homes. On Thursday 12th November, councillors backed the local development plan despite 669 objections (42% of the total number of objections to the plan) and a petition signed by 333 local residents opposing inclusion of the Redmoss Farm site in the LDP. Many of the objections raised concerns about the site’s ecological significance, as well as the capacity of local services such as public transport/roads and schools to cope with additional housing, not to mention the desire to protect precious greenbelt land around the village. Two other major concerns raised by members of the community were the location of the site given it does not meet the Council’s own guidelines on the distance to the nearest bus stop and the density of housing proposed on the site which again does meet the Council’s own guidelines. The Council recognise that the latest housing needs analysis data in the 2014 “robust and credible HNDA2” indicates that delivery of all the proposed developments in the plan will result in a huge housing surplus of 88% in East Dunbartonshire through to 2029; but nonetheless base their plan on the outdated and inaccurate HNDA1 which has a base date which preceded the effects of the recession which begun in 2008. Alan Harris, Secretary of the MOC Greenbelt Preservation campaign commented: “It is bitterly disappointing that elected representatives and council officials have chosen to ignore the facts surrounding the proposed development site and the huge public opposition to this development. We are supposed to live in a democracy and whilst we recognise the opposition to other developments in the plan, none came anywhere close to the volume of objections from throughout our village. “There is no denying this site is hugely popular with local residents and of significant ecological value, the village road network is already struggling to cope, our public transport provision is already inadequate and the proposed density of 80 houses on this 1.62 hectare site is double the Council’s planning guidelines (17-25 dwellings per hectare). “There is no denying the need for housing across the council area but we believe this should be provided on the basis of the most recent data on housing need and every effort should be made to protect our precious greenbelt. The concept of building an 88% surplus of housing is ridiculous and we hope that Government Ministers and the Reporter will see sense and uphold the previous Reporter’s decision that that the ecological and environmental value of Redmoss Farm outweighs the need for affordable housing” The Milton of Campsie Greenbelt Preservation campaign is representing widespread local opposition to the proposed development of the Redmoss Farm site as outlined in the EDC Local Development Plan 3. Ends 13 November 2015 Issued by Alan Harris, Secretary, Milton of Campsie Greenbelt Preservation – secretary@mocgreenbelt.org