The chairman of Scottish builder Springfield Properties has challenged Stirling Council over planning delays linked to a development in Durieshill, in the south of the city.
Sandy Adam protested by carrying an eight-foot-tall screw into the council offices on Thursday (June 29), to illustrate his view that the council is moving slowly on planning issues.
Councilors directed officials to grant planning permission for the development more than five years ago.
Adam said: “There is a well-documented housing crisis in Scotland, with communities across the country crying out for new private and affordable homes. In Stirling specifically, the need for housing was identified in the local development plan 20 years ago
“Springfield presented the solution to Stirling Council in 2016 and councilors instructed their officers to move forward with this development in 2019 when permission was granted. Since then, significant time and effort has gone into giving life to this development, but five years later we have not been able to continue.
“Durieshill will be a fantastic addition to Stirling and we know it has the support of the council who voted in favor of the planning and the local community who have been calling for new homes for some time.
“It is embarrassing for Stirling Council that we are in this position, unable to move forward due to the inaction of officers who have given no reasonable justification for these delays.”
The most recent delays relate to the Article 75 agreement. It was on the agenda for discussion at the June 29 Council meeting. but was later removed. The agreement requires Springfield to make a financial contribution to the council that will be used to improve local infrastructure.
Adam added: “The benefits of Durieshill go beyond housing provision. It will create jobs and apprenticeship opportunities, and will see the creation of a new school, infrastructure improvements and inject money into local economy
“Springfield has extensive experience building large village developments and in no other area of the council have we seen anything like this. Our Dykes of Gray development of 1,500 homes took just 62 weeks to issue consent; our development of 3,000 homes in Bertha Park took 76 weeks In Durieshill we are at 287 weeks and counting.
“We fully recognize the importance of getting section 75 right, but the council has had years to look at it, and when councilors have asked for clarity on the issue, the reaction of officers is to postpone decisions, instead of using the extensive studies and reports available to answer the questions raised.”
He concluded: “We need to stop trying to decide which words go on which pieces of paper. Now is the time to move on, get the diggers going and provide the people of Stirling with an outstanding and exemplary new town to ‘call home
A Stirling Council spokesman said: “The Durieshill development is one of the largest detailed planning applications to have been approved in Scotland. As such, it takes much longer to determine than an application for permission in principle for a development of a similar size.
“A development of this size and scale also requires complex mitigations for education and transport infrastructure involving extensive dialogue with third parties to ensure all necessary approvals are in place.
“Stirling Council has already shown significant commitment to this major project, including approving capital funding for a new primary school in March 2023.
“The council and the developer are close to completing the section 75 consent process, and the council remains committed to working closely with the developer to ensure that the development is effectively planned and managed, as it takes place proper democratic scrutiny.
“Detailed work is also underway on pre-commencement conditions, which will allow the developer to start at the earliest opportunity once all approvals are in place.”
Earlier this year, Springfield announced it had suspended work on affordable housing as it released financial results that revealed a 5% drop in pre-tax profit. He attributed the decline to construction cost inflation, particularly in fixed-price affordable housing contracts.
The company also said at the time it was introducing cost-cutting measures, expected to save £3m a year, including a reduction in land-buying activity, instigating a hiring freeze and reduce the workforce.
In June last year, Springfield expanded its land bank by acquiring the housebuilding division of Glasgow-based Mactaggart & Mickel Group in a deal worth £46.3m. pounds sterling
