A controversial 600-house development at Dykebar Hospital in Paisley WILL go ahead after builders won their appeal.
Bellway Homes, Cala Homes and Barratt Homes have won permission to build their proposed Thornly Park Village on 95 acres of surplus land within the grounds of the site off Grahamston Road.
It will see a range of homes from one-bedroom flats to five-bed detached houses built around a central meadow where the wetland is currently situated.
It is expected to take eight years to complete.
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The consortium - whose initial planning application was thrown out by Renfrewshire councillors - has been given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government Reporter.
Handing down her judgement, the Reporter said she could “not justify” upholding the local authority’s decision.
Recognising problems with schools, roads and biodiversity, the planning chief said these could be addressed with 20 conditions.
The move has outraged the Save Paisley’s Green Space campaign group whose two-year fight to save the green area saw an 818-strong petition and 136 letters of objection registered with Renfrewshire Council.
A spokeswoman for the organisation said its members and the hundreds of people who support it are “naturally disappointed that again commercial considerations have trumped the environmental protections of our green spaces”.
She added: “We appreciate the need for housing but have always referred to clause 28 of the Scottish Planning Policy which says, in essence, that development should not be at any cost.
“The cost to the Paisley South East community will be a high one in loss of beautiful green space and destruction of many mature trees and carbon rich soils which will release CO2 when disturbed by developers.
“There is an air of disbelief that this has been given permission to proceed in view of the climate change emergency we are all faced with.”
But in her written statement, shared with the Express, the Scottish Reporter stated she was satisfied that a series of conditions attached to the planning permission would address concerns around biodiversity and education provision.
These include focused replanting of several tree species and hedgerows which, developers argue, will strengthen habitat corridors on the site.
The Reporter said: “I conclude that the proposed development accords overall with the relevant provisions of the development plan and that there are no material considerations which would still justify refusing to grant planning permission.
“I have considered all other matters raised but there are none which would lead me to alter my conclusions.”
The land had been designated as a potential area for housing in Renfrewshire Council’s local development plan.
A spokesman for the development consortium, said: “We are delighted with the Reporter’s decision, which is a positive outcome and the culmination of several years of work.
“This is a significant milestone in delivering this exciting, sustainable project.
“With over 40 per cent of the development site remaining as open or recreational space, the consortium is looking forward to delivering 603 much-needed homes in a variety of styles and sizes that will further bolster Renfrewshire’s housing options, with multiple affordability levels."
The Notice of Intention comes at an important time for the local economy, with the development very likely to make a significant positive contribution towards recovery from the pandemic.
In addition to the £150million investment, the proposals will also include a contribution of circa £3million towards new education infrastructure at both Todholm Primary School and St Andrew’s Academy.
The consortium spokesman added: “ underpinned by strong placemaking and design principles that will respect the local natural and built environment, we look forward to progressing with the proposal, and working with Renfrewshire Council and key stakeholders going forward to deliver a successful development.”
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